Plasma whirl reactor apparatus and methods of use

ABSTRACT

An apparatus for synergistically combining a plasma with a comminution means such as a fluid kinetic energy mill (jet mill), preferably in a single reactor and/or in a single process step is provided by the present invention. Within the apparatus of the invention potential energy is converted into kinetic energy and subsequently into angular momentum by means of wave energy, for comminuting, reacting and separation of feed materials. Methods of use of the apparatus in the practice of various processes are also provided by the present invention.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This patent application is a continuation patent application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/746,152 filed on Jan. 21, 2013, now U.S.patent Ser. No. ______, and entitled “Plasma Whirl Reactor Apparatus andMethods of Use”, which is a continuation patent application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 12/577,166 filed on Oct. 10, 2009, now U.S.Pat. No. 8,357,873, and entitled “Plasma Whirl Reactor Apparatus andMethods of Use”, which is a continuation patent application of U.S.patent application Ser. No. 10/196,466 filed on Jul. 15, 2002, now U.S.Pat. No. 7,622,693, and entitled “Plasma Whirl Reactor Apparatus andMethods of Use” which is a non-provisional patent application of U.S.provisional patent application 60/305,833 filed on Jul. 16, 2001. All ofthe foregoing patent applications are hereby incorporated by referencein their entirety.

This patent application is also related to U.S. Pat. No. 8,324,523, U.S.patent application Ser. No. 13/215,207 filed on Aug. 22, 2011 andentitled “Method for Treating a Substance with Wave Energy from Plasmaand an Electrical Arc”, and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/215,223filed on Aug. 22, 2011 and entitled “Apparatus for Treating a Substancewith Wave Energy from Plasma and an Electrical Arc”, and U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 13/746,193 filed on Jan. 21, 2013, now U.S. patentSer. No. ______, and entitled “Plasma Whirl Reactor Apparatus andMethods of Use”, and other patents and patent application by the sameinventor.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to apparatus and methods forprocessing materials with plasma.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Worldwide solid waste production is increasing at an alarming rate.Solid waste ranges in size, shape and material. Non-limiting examples ofhigh volume solid wastes include:

-   -   1. household garbage and trash (Municipal Solid Waste);    -   2. drill cuttings produced during the drilling of an oil or gas        well;    -   3. wastewater treatment plant sludge;    -   4. medical waste;    -   5. unburned carbon on fly ash and coal fines;    -   6. red mud which is the remaining bauxite waste from alumina        production;    -   7. obsolete computers and electronic equipment (Waste from        Electrical and Electronic Equipment);    -   8. saw dust and wood chips;    -   9. bagasse from sugar mills;    -   10. rice straw;    -   11. animal manure;    -   12. radioactive hazardous wastes produced from manufacturing        nuclear material for nuclear, power plants and nuclear weapons.

Worldwide gaseous waste emissions are also increasing at an alarmingrate. Worldwide natural gas production in 1998 exceeded 101,891 billioncubic feet (bcf). However, over 3.7% or 3,724 bcf of the produced gaswas flared or vented worldwide. The vented or flared gas is a wasted anduntapped source of energy. The United States' Greenhouse Gas (GHG)releases for natural gas flared in 1998 was about 3.9 million metrictons of carbon equivalents (MMTCE).

Also, total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions rose in 1998 to 1,834.6 MMTCE,which is 11.2% above the 1990 baseline of 1,649.7 MMTCE. CO₂ from fossilfuel combustion, which is the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gasemissions, accounted for 80% of weighted emissions in 1998. Emissionsfrom this source grew by 11% (148.1 MMTCE) from 1990 to 1998 and werealso responsible for over 80% of the increase in national emissionsduring this period.

The most common greenhouse gases are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrogenoxides and ozone depleting substances. In 1998, methane emissionsresulted primarily from the decomposition of wastes in landfills, manureand enteric fermentation associated with domestic livestock, natural gassystems, and coal mining. Emissions of N₂O were dominated byagricultural soil management and mobile source fossil fuel combustion.

Particulate matter is another gaseous emission that can be considered asolid waste. Particulate matter is emitted from coal burning powerplants, diesel engines, incinerators and the burning of biomass, such asrice straw, wood, bagasse and charcoal. Particulate matter is of concernbecause very small particles may not be able to be filtered out by therespiratory system of a mammal.

Municipal Solid Waste

Municipal solid waste (MSW), more commonly known as trash or garbage,consists of everyday items such as product packaging, grass clippings,furniture, clothing, bottles, food scraps, newspapers, appliances,paint, and batteries. In 1996, U.S. residents, businesses, andinstitutions produced more than 209 million tons of MSW, which isapproximately 4.3 pounds of waste per person per day, up from 2.7 poundsper person per day in 1960. However, the number of landfills in the U.S.dropped from almost 8,000 in 1988 to about 2,314 in 1998.

Twenty-seven percent (27%) of MSW was recovered and recycled orcomposted, 17% was burned at combustion facilities, and the remaining55% was disposed of in landfills. It is projected that by the year 2005the U.S. will produce almost 240 million tons of MSW, with paper andpaperboard to the dominant material.

Although 17% of the MSW was incinerated in 1996, it is highly unlikelythat incineration will be the technology of choice for alleviatinglandfill disposal. For example, in November 2000, the U.S. EPA releasedits final ruling regarding incineration of medical waste. It is believedthat due to the new regulations regarding the formation and subsequentrelease of dioxins from medical waste incinerators, more than 80% of themedical waste incinerators will be decommissioned within the U.S.Likewise, since MSW contains precursor chlorine molecules, regulationsregarding incineration emissions from landfills may follow in step withmedical waste incinerator emission regulations.

It is evident that an urgent need exists to eliminate or reduce theamount of MSW disposed of in landfills in addition to reclaiming thewaste within the landfill. Also, many industrial and municipalitywastewater treatment plants will dispose sludge in landfills for anominal charge more commonly referred to as a “tipping fee.” It would beextremely beneficial to both society and to industrial plants ormunicipalities if this sludge could be recovered onsite as energy inlieu of transporting it to a landfill for final deposition into theground. A technology that would allow a plant to achieve substantiallyzero discharge of solid wastes would be highly beneficial.

Oil and Gas Well Drill Cuttings

Another industry, which can benefit from a process or apparatus whichcould achieve substantially zero discharge for wastes, is the oil andgas industry. When an oil or gas well is drilled, the material that isleft over from the “hole in the ground” is referred to as drillcuttings. Typically, for every foot drilled about 1.2 barrels of drillcuttings are produced per well. The disposal of the separated shale andcuttings is a complex environmental problem. Drill cuttings contain notonly the mud product that can contaminate the environment, but alsotypically contain oil that is particularly hazardous to the environment,especially when drilling in a marine environment.

For example, in the Gulf of Mexico, there are hundreds of drillingplatforms that drill for oil and gas by drilling into the sub-sea floor.These drilling platforms can be in many hundreds of feet of water. Insuch a marine environment, the water is typically crystal clear andfilled with marine life that cannot tolerate the disposal of drillcuttings. Therefore, there is a need for a simple, yet workable solutionto the problem of disposing of oil and gas well cuttings in an offshoremarine environment as well as in other fragile environments where oiland gas well drilling occurs.

Traditional methods of cuttings disposal from an offshore rig usuallyinvolves the following procedures and associated costs:

-   -   1. Drill cuttings are conveyed from shale shaker to cutting        boxes (cutting box rental);    -   2. Drill cuttings are conveyed to supply boat tank and        transported to dock facility (supply boat used to transfer        cuttings to dock);    -   3. Drill cuttings are removed from tanks by emulsifying with        water or via bucket brigade (dockside cleaning of tanks; tank        cleaning crew=$165/hour);    -   4. Drill cuttings and water are transferred to an injection well        facility; and    -   5. Drill cuttings are injected down-hole at an injection well        facility for final disposal ($8/barrel).

Thus, drill cuttings disposal cost has been estimated to be between $20and $30 per barrel.

Unburned Carbon on Fly Ash and Coal Fines

Another solid waste produced in very large tonnages can be found in thecoal industry. Coal burning power plants that have low NOx burnersproduce a fly ash that has a relatively high loss on ignition (LOI)carbon content. Fly ash having an unburned carbon content greater thanabout 6% usually cannot be used as a cement additive. In addition,washing coal produces coal fines that are traditionally disposed of in apond. A simple one-step process that can treat fly ash and coal fines,or gasify coal without any pretreatment such as washing and grindingwould help eliminate many problems associated with coal burning powerplants.

The U.S. Department of Energy's National Energy Technology Lab (NETL)has estimated that as much as 2 to 3 billion tons of coal fines lie inwaste impoundments at mines and washing plants around the country. Eachyear, another 30 million tons of coal mined in the United States isdiscarded into these waste ponds.

Olefin Plants, Ethylene and Propylene

Unburned or unreacted carbon has plagued several other industries and/orprocesses, such as olefin plants in the petrochemical industry. Olefinplants usually have two main sections: a pyrolysis or cracking section,and a purification or distillation section. In the production ofethylene, ethane is cracked in the presence of steam to produce anethylene rich feedstock that can then be fed to an ethylene oxide plant.A hydrogen end-user, such as a refinery or cyclohexane plant istypically located near an olefin plant. Normally, these plants areintegrated into a complex petrochemical facility.

The petrochemical industry, as well as the refining industry, has beenplagued with Volatile Organic Carbon (VOC) emission releases, as well assolid waste release problems. Owing to the global warming issue,solutions are being sought for mitigating point source carbon dioxidereleases.

A technology that could remove, or decompose of, ethylene oxide in acarbon dioxide stream would be highly desirable to the olefins industry.Likewise, a simple one-step reactor and method that could utilize CO₂ totreat solid wastes, or other releases in an olefin plant or refinery,would be highly desirable. For example, a simple, cost efficient andhighly reliable process that could utilize contaminated CO₂ emissionsproduced from a process, such as in the production of ethylene oxide(EO), in combination with eliminating flares from the same plant wouldalso be extremely and desirable.

Flares

Flares are common in many petrochemical plants, refineries, oil and gaswells and production facilities, and small commercial chemical plants.Typically, a flare is employed in order to vent a material such as VOCsduring plant upsets. For example, an ethylene oxide plant may send itsfeedstock stream, or a portion thereof, to a flare during temporaryshutdowns or plant upsets. A flare is a gaseous waste source and is alsoa point source emission that is strictly regulated by the U.S. EPA aswell as state and local environmental agencies.

In lieu of plant upsets or shutdowns, flares can be used for the burningof low quality gas that does not meet pipeline specifications. One suchlow quality gas is biogas that is produced from landfills and which isusually flared or vented. Biogas is typically comprised of methane andCO₂ as well as trace amounts of water, sulfur compounds and chlorinatedcompounds. A valuable resource is being wasted by flaring such a gaswith the end product being carbon dioxide, a green house gas, with thepotential for releasing toxic emissions. A process that could eliminateflares, provide substantially zero discharge and produce a valuablechemical feedstock would be highly beneficial.

The U.S., as well as the rest of the world, are in need of a simplesolution, such as that provided by the instant invention, foreliminating waste releases. Likewise, due to the rising costs of oil andgas, in addition to aging refineries and petrochemical plants coupledwith a population increase, there exists an immediate need for theproduction of cleaner fuels and/or processes that do not requireworld-class size refineries and plants.

A relatively small, portable, modular and efficient industrial chemicalreactor with a high throughput and yield would be desirable to theaforementioned applications and industries. Likewise, a smallresidential chemical reactor that could treat household garbage or yardtrimmings onsite would dramatically reduce disposal of solid wastes intolandfills. An example of the top four materials generated fromhouseholds for 2000 and projected for 2005 respectively, are:

Millions of tons (% of total) Material 2000 2005 Paper & Paperboard 87.7(39.3%) 94.7 (39.7%) Plastics 23.4 (10.5%) 26.7 (11.2%) Food Wastes 22.5(10.1%) 23.5 (9.8%)  Yard Trimmings   23 (10.3%)  23 (9.6%)The petrochemical and refining industries could benefit from a processthat could easily convert MSW in one single reactor into syngas (CO andH₂). Such a process, if available, would provide substantially zeroemissions from a landfill, as well as eliminate future disposal intolandfills while supplying a highly desirable and limitedfeedstock—hydrogen and carbon monoxide—to refineries via pipelines.

Refinery Coke

Many crude oil refineries produce coke, which is a solid at roomtemperature and is the bottom of the barrel, or the remaining carbonfrom the barrel of crude oil. As previously stated, refineries are inneed of hydrogen. This is partially due to regulations requiring theproduction of reformulated gasoline. In addition, with the newlow-sulfur diesel regulations on the horizon, vast amounts of hydrogenwill be required for hydro-treating processes used in refineries toreduce the heteroatom content of fuel products. In combination withrising natural gas prices, refineries will look upon new processes thatdo not require the steam reforming of methane for the production ofhydrogen. Such a process, or apparatus, must be capable of utilizingwastes found within a refinery, such as waste oil from the Oil and WaterSeparator, sludge from the wastewater treatment plant, and coke.

The apparatus must be capable of handling extremely high flow rates, aswell as being portable and modular. Many oil and gas companies arefinding it uneconomical to fund conventional process units utilizingsteel and concrete. For example, many refineries are turning toover-the-fence (OTF) contracts for meeting their hydrogen requirementsinstead of building on-site hydrogen plants. Likewise, refineries areever more willing to lease or rent rapidly deployable modular units thatcan be mobilized as and where needed. A rapidly deployable single-stagereactor that can convert refinery waste, such as coke, waste oil andsludge to a valuable chemical feedstock, such as syngas, would beextremely valuable to the oil and gas refining industry.

Sulfuric Acid Regeneration

The demand for high-octane/low-vapor-pressure gasoline blendingcomponents has increased dramatically within the past few years,primarily as a result of the 1990 U.S. EPA Clean Air Act Amendments.Hydrocarbon sulfuric acid alkylation is one of the most importantrefinery processes for producing gasoline-blending components havinghigh octane/low-vapor-pressure. Alkylation converts lighter petroleumhydrocarbons into heavier hydrocarbons. A typical refinery will utilizesulfuric acid (H₂SO₄) as the catalyst in it's′ alkylation process. Thesulfuric acid is used as a catalyst to transform propylene, butyleneand/or isobutane into alkylation products, or alkylate. The downside ofthe alkylation process is that a “spent acid” product stream is producedthat is typically comprised of greater than about 90 wt. % H₂SO₄, 5 wt.% water, 4 wt. % organics, and less than about 1 wt. % in solids.

Sulfuric acid is also used in reactions such as sulfonation andnitration, as well as for other uses such as drying, pickling etc. Atthe end of these processes, the sulfuric acid remains in a form that isunusable and that needs to be recovered or disposed. This sulfuric acidwaste stream is commonly referred to as spent acid or spent sulfuricacid. The spent acid can be processed to recover usable sulfuric acid bya number of processes including the process of regeneration.

For example, a Sulfuric Acid Regeneration (“SAR”) plant can be used andtypically comprises a furnace, a gas cleaning section, a converter, andan absorption unit. Sulfuric acid is decomposed into sulfur dioxide,carbon dioxide, water, and nitrogen in the furnace in the presence of afueled combustion flame. This is generally referred to as theregeneration or “regen furnace”.

The gas cleaning section of the typical SAR plant eliminatesparticulates, residual SO₃, metal contaminants, and most of the waterfrom the regen furnace effluent. The converter is typically provided toreact SO₂ with oxygen from air to produce SO₃, which can then behydrated in the absorption tower to form sulfuric acid.

Spent sulfuric acid in a petroleum refinery is typically a large volumeToxic

Release Inventory chemical that is strictly regulated for off-sitetransfer for regeneration or disposal. Thus, many refineries recycle thespent acid onsite. This process is more commonly referred to as “SpentAcid Regeneration” or SAR.

As previously mentioned, the SAR process comprises combusting spent acidwith a fuel. Fuels are normally selected from streams commonly found ina refinery such as natural gas, to residual oil to hydrogen sulfide. Thedownside of the SAR combustion process is that the oxygen used forcombustion must be fed to the furnace very precisely in order to achieveproper combustion while limiting the amount of air in the stream.Overfeeding air or oxygen increases the furnaces gas volume. As aresult, equipment must be sized in order to compensate for a plant upsetor overfeeding combustion air. Additionally, overfeeding air may affectconversion of SO₂ to SO₃ as well as absorption of SO₃ in the absorbingtower.

The refining industry is in need of a process for regenerating spentacid that does not require combustion with a fuel and oxidant. Such aprocess would allow a SAR plant to be dramatically downsized owing tothe elimination of combustion products, such as water and CO₂, thatrepresent a relatively large volume of the gaseous stream.

Spent (contaminated) sulfuric acid is generated in various otherchemical production processes such as titanium dioxide production,methyl methacrylate production, and various nitration processes. Spentsulfuric acid from these processes has been disposed of, other than bySAR, by either deep well injection, or neutralization and discharge ofthe spent sulfuric acid into water ways, oceans or landfills.

Regeneration of spent sulfuric acid is two to three times as expensiveas acid made directly made from sulfur. The disposal of spent sulfuricacid is an ever increasing problem because of environmental regulationsthat are becoming more and more stringent. At the same time, the demandfor alkylates in unleaded gasoline is increasing, thus creating morespent sulfuric acid.

In an attempt to regenerate increasing amounts of spent sulfuric acid,oxygen enrichment of combustion air has been used to increase thecapacity of a given regeneration facility. Use of oxygen enriched airpermits more acid to be processed in an existing facility therebyimproving the process economics to a certain degree. The combustion thatis normally carried out with air, which contains 21% oxygen with theremainder being nitrogen, puts nitrogen into the process, which plays nouseful role in the waste combustion but leads to heat losses in thestack and reacts with oxygen to produce nitrogen oxides (known asthermal NOx), which in turn leads to smog formation, ozone depletion inthe atmosphere and acid rain.

The formation of thermal NOx is extremely temperature sensitive. Byenriching the combustion air to approximately 28% oxygen, the number ofoxygen molecules available for combustion can be increased by 25%without increasing the volume of combustion air or flue gas. Hence, thewaste processing capacity of a furnace can be increased. However, thisapproach has not been widely adopted in the market place because oxygenenrichment leads to an increase in the furnace flame temperature,including localized hot spots. These hot spots have a detrimental effecton the materials of construction of the combustor and oxygen constitutesan additional cost of production that the regeneration facility has toincur. The extra cost for the oxygen is partially offset by theincreased amount of acid processed in a given facility.

Claus Plant

Claus-type plants are in use in refineries to treat gases containinghydrogen sulfide. The typical Claus plant comprises at least onefurnace, or “thermal reactor”, and multiple converters. Elemental sulfuris produced as well as a “tail gas” comprising residual unconvertedhydrogen sulfide, other minor sulfur compounds, sulfur dioxide and inertgases. Some Claus plants may also comprise more than a single thermalreactor. Claus plant performance and capacity have been increased by theutilization of an oxygen-enriched air in the furnace. For example see EP0237 216 A1 published Sep. 16, 1987, which discloses one such modifiedClaus process using oxygen-enriched air.

While faced with the need to expand capacity, refineries are oftenlimited by both physical space and environmental restraints fromexpanding capacity of these process units, for example, by the additionof furnaces or converters.

Upgrading Crude at the Wellhead

Many crudes are of very low quality due to sulfur contamination. Aspreviously stated, refineries will have to make dramatic and costlycapital investments in order to process low quality crudes, such asthose produced in Mexico and Venezuela. Also, additional expenditureswill be required for increased hydro-treating capacity in order toproduce low sulfur distillates. The U.S. EPA estimates the cost ofreducing the sulfur content of diesel fuel will result in a fuel priceincrease of approximately 4.5 to 5 cents per gallon.

A simple and economical solution for the refining industry is to upgradecrude at the wellhead. This will result in a higher quality crude oilthat will demand a relatively high price. Thus, both the refinery, aswell as the public, will benefit since a refinery would not have to makemajor and costly modifications to their hydro-treating process units andpass the costs to consumers.

A process or apparatus, such as that of the instant invention, that canupgrade crude oil at the wellhead by converting casing-head gas tohydrogen, while reducing down-hole back pressure, thus increasing oilproduction from the well, would be highly desirable.

Animal Feed Operations

Another industry that produces a solid waste that has become a disposalproblem is the agriculture industry. For example, animal feedingoperations (AFO) produce large amounts of manure that runs off intolocal waterways creating a pollution problem. Phosphorous in the animalwaste has been linked to causing hypoxia in receiving waters. Sludgefrom drinking water plants that contains lime and iron has beensuggested as an additive to animal waste to chelate the phosphorous.Also, Red Mud from aluminum production facilities has been suggested asan alternative additive to animal waste. Transportation costs forhauling these additives to the farm, or the animal waste to the sitewhere the additive is produced, is cost prohibitive.

Aluminum, Energy, Red Mud and Carbon Sequestration

On Apr. 11, 2001, the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA) began toimplement a proposal to shutter the U.S. Northwest's ten aluminumsmelters for up to two years. The BPA called on aluminum officials toclose Northwest smelters to help hold down soaring energy prices in theNorthwest and in California. Many smelters in the BPA region had alreadyclosed their doors because high energy prices made aluminum productionunprofitable. The current plan would freeze the Northwest AluminumIndustry that is responsible for 38% of the U.S.'s aluminum productionin smelters throughout Washington, Oregon and Montana. The ten smeltersconsume 1,500 megawatts of power, enough electricity to light all ofSeattle. BPA can only produce 8,000 megawatts.

The production of aluminum starts with the mining of bauxite ore whichis crushed and ground at the aluminum plant to the desired size forefficient extraction of alumina (Al₂O₃) through digestion with hotsodium hydroxide liquor. The hot sodium hydroxide extraction process ismore commonly referred to as the “Bayer Process.” A portion of theliquor that is removed from the alumina in the Bayer process is referredto as “red mud.” After removal of “red mud” and fine solids from theprocess liquor, alumina is produced by precipitating aluminum trihydratecrystals and then calcining the crystals in a rotary kiln or fluidizedbed calciner.

It is typical for one aluminum plant to produce more than 1,000,000 tonsof red mud per year. The red mud is typically stockpiled on-site since,resulting in the accumulation of ever-increasing amounts of red mud atthe plant site. Some work is being conducted to develop useful productsfrom the red mud. One such product, Cajunite, is an absorbent for liquidwastes.

Red mud is typically comprised of about 50 wt. % water, and about 50 wt.% components that are not soluble in sodium hydroxide (by mass %: Al₂O₃22-28%, Fe₂O₃ 25-35%, SiO₂ 6-16%, TiO₂ 8-24%, Na₂O (total) 4-9%, Na₂O(soluble) 0.5-0.7%, CaO+MgO 0.5-4%, LOI 7-12%). Between 0.7-2 tons ofred mud are produced for every ton of alumina extracted, depending onthe composition of the bauxite. The two basic methods of onsite disposalare “wet discharge” (dumping of the water mud in lakes) and “drystacking” (landfill of the dried, thickened red mud).

In combination with rising energy costs and environmental issues, thealuminum industry is in great need of technologies for producing cleanfuel or energy while simultaneously producing a useful byproduct fromred mud.

Automobile Shredder Residue (Fluff) and Aluminum Recycling

Automobile shredder residue, or fluff, is the material remaining afterrecovering the metals from a shredded vehicle. Current recoverytechnologies includes shredding the vehicle, removing ferrous metal witha magnet, then separating the remaining metals by means of dense mediumseparation. Simply, the shredded material is placed in rotating drumsfilled with a liquid media. The media may be water or water that isweighted-up, similar to drilling mud. By changing the density of theliquid, some material will float while some material will sink.

The major problem with such a process is that the process requirescopious amounts of water. Hence, since the vehicle contains organicfluids such as lubricants, antifreeze, motor oil and gasoline, anundesirable emulsion is formed with the water. Expensive water treatmentchemicals are then utilized to break the emulsion as well as to preventfoaming and frothing which upsets the dense medium separation process.The remaining non-metallic portion of the vehicle is the fluff.Typically, fluff is comprised of light organics, heavy organics such asplastics, foam, and rubber. The fluff can be a valuable feedstock orfuel but typically ends up in a landfill.

Another problem associated with organic fluids forming emulsions in thedense medium separation process is that the metals may be covered orcoated with organic fluids. This in itself presents a recycling problem.Although the price of the metals is not affected, the metals recyclingfacility must take precautions due to the potential for emissions of theorganic fluids.

This problem is more common with aluminum ingot manufacturing fromaluminum turnings from machine shops and fabrication facilities. Thecutting oil on the aluminum turnings must be removed in order to processthe aluminum turnings. This problem has plagued aluminum recyclingfacilities. Likewise, the paint on aluminum cans present a problem whenrecycling aluminum cans. European regulators have enacted “take backlaws” which will require vehicle manufactures to take back vehiclesafter their useful life. In addition, the regulations will limit theamount of fluff that can be disposed of in a landfill. In accordancewith the regulations, the percentage of fluff that can be land-filledwill decrease over a time period.

The automotive industry, as well as the aluminum recycling industry, isin great need of a technology that can easily convert the fluff, cuttingoil or paint to a useful feedstock or fuel while recovering a very cleanmetal stream for recycling.

Waste from Electrical and Electronic Equipment (WEEE)

The production of electrical and electronic equipment is one of thefastest growing domains of manufacturing industry in the Western world.Both technological innovation and market expansion continue toaccelerate the replacement process. New applications of electrical andelectronic equipment are increasing significantly. There is hardly anypart of life where electrical and electronic equipment are not used.This development leads to an important increase in waste electrical andelectronic equipment (WEEE).

The WEEE stream is a complex mixture of materials and components. Incombination with the constant development of new materials and chemicalshaving environmental effects, this leads to increasing problems at thewaste stage. The WEEE stream differs from the municipal waste stream fora number of reasons:

-   -   1. The rapid growth of WEEE is of concern. In 1998, in Europe, 6        million metric tons of waste from electrical and electronic        equipment were generated (4% of the municipal waste stream). The        volume of WEEE is expected to increase in Europe by at least        3-5% per annum. This means that in five years 16-28% more WEEE        will be generated and in 12 years the amount will have doubled.        The growth of WEEE is about three times higher than the growth        of the average municipal waste.    -   2. Because of their hazardous content, electrical and electronic        equipment cause major environmental problems during the waste        management phase if not properly pre-treated. As more than 90%        of WEEE is land-filled, incinerated or recovered without any        pretreatment, a large proportion of various pollutants found in        the municipal waste stream comes from WEEE.    -   3. The environmental burden due to the production of electrical        and electronic products (“ecological baggage”) exceeds by far        the environmental burden due to the production of materials        constituting the other sub-streams of the municipal waste        stream. As a consequence, enhanced recycling of WEEE should be a        major factor in preserving resources, in particular energy.        In view of the environmental problems related to the management        of WEEE, European Member States began drafting national        legislation in this area. The Netherlands, Denmark, Sweden,        Austria, Belgium and Italy have already presented legislation on        this subject. Finland and Germany are expected to do so soon.

For example, a semiconductor company that designs, develops,manufactures and markets a broad range of semiconductor integratedcircuits (“ICs”) and discrete devices will lists its package material inits products. Such semiconductor products can include MPEG-2 decoderICs, Digital Set-Top Box ICs, special automotive ICs, MCV-basedsmartcard ICs and EPROM non-volatile memories and are also the secondleading supplier of analog and mixed-signal ASSPs and ASICs, disk driveICs and EEPROM memories.

-   -   1. Package materials—The material of the package can be:        -   a. Plastic—The plastics used are mainly transfer-mold epoxy            cresol novolac (ECN-Epoxy resin) or Polyurethanic resin for            the modules. The filler of these resins is SiO₂ (about 70%).            The epoxy resins used will typically contain antimony            trioxide (Sb₂O₃) and tetrabromobisphenol-A as flame            retardants. After curing the tetrabromobisphenol-A is no            longer free because it is incorporated into the epoxy            polymer. The tables report the percentage of bromium in the            epoxy polymer (about 1%) and the amount of antimony trioxide            (about 2%).        -   b. Ceramic—The ceramic used for the RF transistors will            typically be BeO and is alumina (Al₂O₃+SiO₂) for the            integrated circuits.        -   c. Metal—The materials used for the metallic packages are            usually Alloy 42, nickel, iron and copper.        -   d. Glass—The glass of packages used will typically be Pb            silicates. The glass is insoluble in water and in organic            acids but can be etched by inorganic acids.    -   2. Chip—The active part of each device is a silicon chip doped        at atomic levels (some tens of ppb) with phosphorus, boron and        arsenic. The back of the die can be raw or metallized mainly        with thin layers of titanium, or gold, or nickel in order to        enhance the die capacity to bond to the header or to the        leadframe.    -   3. Metallic parts—The heat-spreaders and the lead frames of        plastic packages can be composed of Alloy 42 or copper alloys.        The copper alloys are a combination of copper with a small        amount of alloying elements such as Ag, Co, Fe, Zn, P. Alloy 42        is an alloy of iron with 42% nickel.    -   4. Other—The inks (marking) used for metallic, plastic, glass or        ceramic packages are most typically epoxy resins with dyes. The        relevant pigments can be either inorganic (Fe, Zn) or organic        dyes. However, ink marking going to be totally substituted by        laser marking.        The values given for each chemical element are believed to be        accurate and reliable. It is possible to extrapolate approximate        values for other packages of the same family using the        proportionality criteria as reported here below.

As previously stated, enhanced recycling of WEEE should be a majorfactor in preserving resources, in particular energy. The Electrical andElectronic Equipment Industry is in great need of an inexpensive andsimple one step method or reactor which can convert the organics in WEEEto a useful chemical feedstock or feed while recovering valuable metalsand simultaneously treating heavy metals. The present inventionovercomes the obstacles inherent in treating WEEE by combining acomminution means and reaction means into a single reactor.

Particulate Matter 2.5 microns (PM 2.5) (Smoke and Diesel Exhaust)

Diesel engines are the most efficient power plant among all known typesof internal combustion engines. However, a drawback to diesel engines isits exhaust emissions. Although smoke and diesel exhaust emissions maybe referred to as aerosols and/or solid waste, the two emissions aremore commonly referred to as Particulate Matter (PM). The U.S. EPA's PMstandards include two different size categories, PM 2.5 and PM 10.Particles in the air that are less than 2.5 microns in diameter areconsidered PM 2.5, and are generated primarily by combustion processes.Particles that are less than 10 microns in diameter are considered PM10. The EPA established the PM 2.5 standard in July of 1997 in an effortto better protect the public's health. Particles of the 2.5-micron sizeare a health concern because they can bypass the body's naturalfiltering mechanisms and penetrate deep into the respiratory system.

Diesel Particulate Matter (DPM) is the most visible diesel pollutant dueto the thick plumes of black smoke that appear at the tailpipe. DPM is acomplex mix of solid and liquid matter and the main constituent is solidcarbon, which is generated in the cylinder as a result of incompletecombustion. Under heavy load conditions, when the air/fuel mixture istoo rich, the burning of the hydrogen element of hydrocarbons (HC)predominates, resulting in an excess of the unburned carbon element.

DPM is usually divided into three basic fractions. These are drycarbon/soot particle fraction, soluble organic fraction (SOF) andsulfuric acid particle fraction. The actual composition of DPM dependsupon the type of engine, its operating conditions, and the speed andload. At higher RPM and load values, adsorbed acids and SOF proportionsdecrease as they combust or evaporate and become gas phase components.

The soluble organic fraction is primarily comprised of hydrocarbons andsulphates that become adsorbed onto the surfaces of the carbon spherulesand agglomerated carbon particles. The components of SOF are generallyacids, bases, paraffins, aromatics, oxygens, transitionals andinsolubles.

In its decision of Feb. 27, 2001 the U.S. Supreme Court unanimouslyupheld the 1997 EPA National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS) forozone and fine particulate matter (PM2.5). The court rejected argumentsby industry, led by the American Trucking Association, that EPA actedunconstitutionally in issuing the standards. The industry groups alsocharged the EPA with failure to consider industry's costs for compliancewhen issuing health standards, but the court said no such cost-benefitrequirement exists under the Clean Air Act.

In addition, major diesel manufactures have entered into a consentdecree with the U.S. EPA for implementing 2004 PM 2.5 regulations nolater than October 2002. An immediate solution is needed by the dieselmanufacturing industry in order to meet the mandate set by the EPA.

Radioactive Wastes

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has estimated the total volume ofDOE and commercial radioactive wastes and spent nuclear fuel through1995 to be approximately 5.5 million cubic meters. Each year nuclearpower generation facilities world-wide produce about 200,000 cubicmeters of low and intermediate level waste and 10,000 cubic meters ofhigh level waste (including spent fuel designated as waste). Thedisposal or final depositary for radioactive wastes is a major problemfrom both financial and environmental concerns.

Former nuclear weapons production sites face even more significantproblems with radioactive waste management. The scale and scope of thecleanup at these sites is enormous; officials estimate that seventy-fiveyears and $300 billion will be required to remediate cold-war nuclearweapon facilities,

Radioactive waste has been stored in large underground storage tanks atthe DOE's Hanford Site since 1944. Approximately 54 million gallons ofwaste containing approximately 240,000 metric tons of processedchemicals and 340 million cuires of radionuclides are currently beingstored in 177 tanks. These caustic wastes are in the form of liquids,slurries, salt-cakes, and sludge.

The highest cost activities anticipated at the Hanford Site are theretrieval and treatment of the waste in the high-level waste tanks toproduce high-level waste canisters of glass and immobilized low-levelwaste. This activity is now being privatized in a two-phase approach.The first phase is underway, the second-phase contracts will be let in2006, and completion of the waste processing activities is expected in2028. The DOE has budgeted approximately $35.7 billion (U.S. dollars)for cleaning up Hanford's Tanks At Hanford alone, it is apparent andquite obvious that an inexpensive and timely solution exist forvitrifying high-level waste to produce canisters of glass for long termstorage in a depository.

From the forgoing, it is evident that there exists a need to solve thenumerous and high priority problems associated with solid, liquid andgas wastes. The use of a plasma torch for solving wastes problems isconsidered a very high-tech solution. For a high-tech solution such as aplasma device or method to be widely accepted, it must be simple,cost-effective and available as a modular unit as opposed toapplications requiring unique designs with onsite fabrication andconstruction. It is desirable that the portable plasma reactor have asmall footprint, yet be capable of processing a variety of wastes in theform of liquids, slurries, salt-cakes, sludges, particulate matter,solids and gases at high flow-rates.

It is also preferred that the method or apparatus combine a comminutingmeans with an ionized gas reaction means within the same reactor inorder to save energy, time and space. Ordinarily, wave energytechnologies, such as plasmas, do not combine the comminution stage withthe reaction stage, which reaction state is typically a combustion,incineration, reforming, cracking, pyrolysis and/or gasification stage.Likewise, it is not typical to combine the reaction stage with theseparation stage.

Furthermore, combining the comminution stage, reaction stage andseparation stage is completely atypical for plasma processes andapparatuses. Moreover, the utilization of plasma to generate angularmomentum for kinetic energy comminution and reaction means isdistinctive and unobvious from traditional kinetic energy communitionsuch as a jet mill.

As a rule, jet mills will utilize compressed air and/or steam as thepotential energy source for converting stored energy into kinetic energyby means of fluid expansion via a decrease in pressure. Likewise, thecompressed air and steam are typically produced in a separate anddistinct stage from the kinetic energy or jet mill stage. Usually, anair compressor or boiler is utilized to produce the kinetic energyfluid. Other applications may utilize flue gas exhaust, engine exhaustor any compressed fluid source. Thus, in typical kinetic energy mills,the only means of increasing energy to the jet mill for increasingcomminution or particle flow to the jet mill is to increase theflow-rate or pressure of the kinetic energy fluid. Likewise, traditionaljet mills typically do not use an incompressible fluid such as water.

The present invention meets all of the aforementioned criteria whileminimizing stages. Likewise, the present invention can utilize anincompressible fluid for comminuting and reacting means by convertingthe liquid to a gas and then to a plasma within the kinetic energy mill.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one aspect, the invention encompasses a chemical reactor thatsynergistically combines a comminution (grinding) means with a plasmageneration means. The invention includes a means for applying a fluidplasma for both comminution and chemical conversion in the same reactionvessel. In another aspect, the invention encompasses a chemical reactorand separator that synergistically combines a plasma generation meanswith a separation means. Yet another aspect of the invention combines acomminution means with a plasma generation means with a separation meansin one reaction vessel and/or process step. And in another aspect theinvention encompasses angular momentum provided in part by a plasmameans for comminution, reaction and separation.

In another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus thatincludes a vessel, a set of radio frequency coils and two or more jetsor slits. The vessel has an interior defined by a cylindrical portiondisposed between a first end and a second end, an outlet in the firstend that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical portion,at least one inlet in the first end to receive a material. The set ofradio frequency coils are disposed around or within the cylindricalportion to generate a plasma within the interior. The two or more jetsor slits are mounted tangentially in the cylindrical portion to direct afluid or a gas into the interior to create angular momentum in theplasma to form a plasma vortex that circulates around the longitudinalaxis and reacts with the material.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus thatincludes a vessel, a first plasma source, a second plasma source, andtwo or more jets or slits. The vessel has an interior defined by acylindrical portion disposed between a first end and a second end, anoutlet in the second end that is aligned with a longitudinal axis of thecylindrical portion, and an inlet in the cylindrical portion to receivea material. The first plasma source includes a plasma torch connected tothe first end and aligned with the longitudinal axis of the cylindricalportion to introduce a plasma into the interior. The second plasmasource includes set of radio frequency coils disposed around or withinthe cylindrical portion to add energy to the plasma. The two or morejets or slits are disposed within the cylindrical portion to direct afluid or a gas into the interior to create angular momentum in theplasma to form a plasma vortex that circulates around the longitudinalaxis and reacts with the material.

In yet another aspect, the present invention provides an apparatus thatincludes a vessel, and two or more plasma sources. The vessel has avertical longitudinal axis, a cylindrical middle portion aligned withthe vertical longitudinal axis, a top portion, a bottom portion, one ormore inlets disposed in the top portion to receive a material, and anoutlet aligned with the vertical longitudinal axis and disposed ineither the top portion or the bottom portion. The two or more plasmasources are mounted tangentially in the cylindrical middle portion suchthat the plasma touches are substantially aligned with one another in ahorizontal plane with respect to the vertical longitudinal axis. Theplasma from the plasma sources combine together to create sufficientangular momentum to form a plasma vortex that circulates around thevertical longitudinal axis within the vessel and reacts with thematerial.

The present invention is described in detail below with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The above and further advantages of the invention may be betterunderstood by referring to the following description in conjunction withthe accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional top view of a first embodimentPlasma Jet Vortex Mill Reactor;

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional top view of a secondembodiment Hyper Plasma Jet Vortex Mill Reactor;

FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional side view of a thirdembodiment Plasma Whirl Reactor;

FIGS. 3A, 3B and 3C are diagrammatic, cross-sectional side views of anembodiment Plasma Whirl Reactor illustrating the sequence for forming aPlasma Whirl;

FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional side view of a fourthembodiment Plasma Jet Pancake Mill Reactor;

FIG. 5 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional side view of a fifthembodiment Plasma Fluid Energy Mill Reactor;

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional side view of a sixthembodiment Hyper Plasma Jet Cyclone Separator Reactor;

FIG. 6A is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional side view of anotherembodiment Hyper Plasma Jet Cyclone Separator Reactor;

FIG. 7 is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional side view of anotherembodiment Hyper Plasma Jet Mill Reactor;

FIG. 7A is a diagrammatic, cross-sectional side view of anotherembodiment Hyper Plasma Jet Tornado Eductor Reactor;

FIG. 8 is a diagrammatic, process flow of an embodiment Plasma Jet MillEductor & Scrubber/Quencher;

FIG. 9 is an illustration of an embodiment of the Plasma Whirl Reactorin an Ethylene 15 Oxide Plant utilized as a Zero Release Method;

FIG. 10 is an illustration of an embodiment for Onsite Rig/Pad FlareElimination, Diesel Emissions Treatment and Drill Cuttings Conversion toFly ash with a Plasma Whirl Reactor;

FIG. 11 is an illustration of an embodiment of the Plasma Whirl Reactorfor Upgrading Crude at the Wellhead; and

FIG. 12 is an illustration of an embodiment of a Plasma Whirl Reactorfor Treating Radioactive Waste.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

While the making and using of various embodiments of the presentinvention are discussed in detail below, it should be appreciated thatthe present invention provides many applicable inventive concepts thatcan be embodied in a wide variety of specific contexts. The specificembodiments discussed herein are merely illustrative of specific ways tomake and use the invention and do not delimit the scope of theinvention.

The invention encompasses methodology and apparatuses configured forforming and utilizing plasma jet for one or more of comminution,chemical reaction and separation in a single reactor system. Forpurposes of interpreting this disclosure and the claims that follow, a“plasma whirl comminution reactor” is defined as a reactor in whichcomminution and conversion of matter occurs therein. This is achievedbecause of the plasma's kinetic energy traveling at a high velocity in avortex as well as the characteristics associated with a plasma (hightemperature, radicals, free electrons, ions, etc). The high velocityplasma jet used in the present invention simultaneously subjectsmaterial to comminution and chemical reaction or conversion. The term“comminution” as used herein can be considered to be generic to all theterms ordinarily applied to the subject matter of the present inventionsuch as grinding, crushing, grating, granulating, milling,disintegration, attrition, trituration, pulverization, etc. In itsbroadest meaning, the term comminution, as used herein, will also meanatomization. The terms vortex, cyclone, tornado, whirlpool, whirl,swirl, etc. are used interchangeably herein. These terms refer to a massof fluid with a whirling or circular motion that tends to form a cavityor vacuum in the center of the circle and to draw toward this cavity orvacuum bodies subject to its action. In other words, the term “whirl,vortex, tornado or cyclone” as used in the present invention applies toa region within a body of fluid in which the fluid elements have anangular velocity or angular momentum. The term “chemical conversion” asdefined herein includes the terms cracking, reforming, gasification,combustion, oxidation, reduction, etc. Simply put a chemical conversionwith respect to the present invention means a “chemical reaction.” Asdefined herein, plasmas are ionized gases which can be formed from DCplasma torches, microwave plasma torches, inductively coupled plasmatorches, AC plasma torches, electron beams or any other means which willgenerate an ionized gas. In its broadest meaning, the plasma may begenerated from any wave energy apparatus or method capable of producingan ionized gas. Matter as defined herein refers to the four states ofmatter: solids, liquids, gases and/or plasmas.

In preferred aspects of the present invention a plasma whirl kineticenergy comminution reactor utilizes a high velocity plasma jet fluid tocreate a plasma whirl for comminuting matter while chemically reactingthe matter. Particular aspects of the present invention are describedwith reference to FIGS. 1-12.

Likewise, when operated in another mode, the plasma jet vortex millreactor utilizes a high velocity plasma jet fluid to create a plasmavortex for chemically reacting matter and separating the products of thereaction of the matter. Particular aspects of the present invention aredescribed with reference to FIGS. 1-12.

FIG. 1 hereof is representation of a Plasma Jet Vortex Mill Reactor.Plasma torches are aligned tangentially to create angular momentum thatforms a plasma vortex. Solid matter, for example Municipal Solid Waste(MSW), drill cuttings, red mud, coal fines, petroleum coke, WEEE, etc,is conveyed into an inlet for simultaneous comminution and reaction. Thechemical reaction of the solid matter may be based upon severalvariables such as, the solid matter's chemical composition, the fluidused in the plasma torches, the temperature of the reactor and the flowrates of the solid matter and the fluid. For example, if water or steamis used as the fluid in the plasma torch and the solid waste is coal,the end reaction maybe ash, hydrogen and carbon monoxide, hydrogensulfide, chlorine and other contaminants. However, if carbon dioxide isused as the plasma torch fluid and the solid waste is carbon or coke,the end reaction may be ash and carbon monoxide. The carbon monoxide maybe reformed with steam in the water gas shift reaction to producehydrogen and carbon dioxide or may be used or sold as a chemicalfeedstock. The products of the reaction are flowed to an outlet forfurther treatment such as in a scrubber, amine unit for removing CO₂ orfor direct use. If CO₂ is captured in an amine unit the CO₂ can berecycled back into the plasma torch.

It will be understood that the present invention can utilize a typicalcyclone separator as the shell or reactor vessel. In this embodiment ofthe present invention, the Plasma Jet Vortex Mill Reactor, also allowsfor separation of the ash or solid particulate matter from the gases(hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide). This occurs in one stage orvessel.

The present invention comprises a novel method for comminuting andchemically converting a solid carbon source into a chemical feedstock orfuel in one reaction vessel. Additionally, the present invention alsoprovides a novel method for comminuting, reacting or converting, andseparating a solid carbon source into a chemical feedstock or fuel andash byproduct in one reaction vessel. Pretreatment of the coke, coal orcarbon sources is not necessary. Dewatering is not necessary if thereactor is operated in a steam-reforming mode.

The present invention can advantageously used as a skid or trailermounted modular plasma reactor, having a relatively small footprint yetit can effectively comminute, react and separate a very large volume ofmaterial at extremely high flow-rates. For example, again referring toFIG. 1, by installing a plurality of plasmas torches (eight (8) will beused in this example), such as Westinghouse Plasma Corporation's MARC-IIplasma torch, which are aligned tangentially, then the Plasma Jet VortexMill Reactor may be capable of treating extremely large volumes ofwaste. It will be understood that more or less than 8 torches can beused to obtain the desired comminution and chemical reaction orconversion.

The treatment rate calculated for using eight (8) Westinghouse PlasmaCorporation's Torches in the present invention for MSW and ASR can rangefrom 230 to 5,760 tons per day. These figures are based upon the nominalpower of 300 kW-3,000 kW for the MARC-II plasma torch in addition to thetests conducted for gasification of MSW and ASR. For MSW and ASR, theplasma torch power ranges from 100 kW to 250 kW per ton/hour.

The novel plasma jet vortex mill reactor of the present inventionprovides a viable solution for handling solid waste matter problems. Forexample, large volumes of solid waste matter are produced in oil & gasexploration, petroleum refineries, coal burning power plants, aluminaplants, landfills, automobile shredding facilities, pulp and papermills, and sugar mills. The waste matter from these facilities vary inparticle size and chemical composition. Examples of the waste matter aredrill cuttings, petroleum coke, coal fines/unburned carbon on fly ash,red mud, MSW, ASR, wood chips/bark, and bagasse.

Petroleum Coke, Coal Fines and Unburned Carbon on Fly Ash

Normally, petroleum refineries have at least two delayed cokers forcracking the resid to coke and light ends. This allows cutting of thecoke in the filled coke drum while the other coke drum is in operation.This process flow design allows for continuous operation of therefinery. In the present invention, the cut petroleum coke can beconveyed directly to the Plasma Jet Vortex Mill Reactor without havingto be stockpiled or stored. Additionally, the Plasma Whirl ComminutionReactor can be operated with steam to produce syngas for use in therefinery.

Turning now to FIG. 2—Hyper Plasma Jet Vortex Mill Reactor, the PlasmaTorch, such as a Microwave Driven Plasma Torch, provides free electronsand conductive ionized gases to the reactor. Microwave Driven PlasmaTorches (MIDJet®) are available from Physical Sciences, Inc. (PSI) ofAndover, Mass. PSI's MIDJet® is a microwave plasma torch that has noelectrodes to wear out. A comminution fluid is conveyed into and entersthe reactor via a combined radio frequency (RF) Coil and jet nozzlering. Although shown as a combined unit, it will be understood that theRF Coil may be separate from the jet nozzle ring. The jets are arrangedtangentially or in a means so as to initially start and preferablymaintain a vortex. This elongates and constricts the plasma from theMIDJet®. When an AC current is applied to the RF Coils the microwaveplasma volume increases dramatically. The rapid expansion of the plasmavolume increases velocity. Thus, the initial angular velocity isdramatically increased which immensely increases angular momentum withinthe reactor.

This imparts a novel, unobvious and very unique method for comminution,chemical reactions and separation. Since it is well known and wellunderstood that plasma jets can obtain velocities greater than 3,000meters/second with high energy densities, then the plasma jet can beconverted to angular momentum and energy. Not being bound by theory, itis believed that as the RF coils increase the plasma volume the velocitywill increase dramatically without an increase in fluid flow. It is alsobelieved that by centrally locating a plasma source (microwave plasmatorch), the centrally located plasma region will remain in an extremelyhighly activated state. This is so for several reasons. First, thevortex creates a central void or vacuum. Second, since in a vacuum themolecules will be farther apart, thus less collisions will occur. Anelectron beam can be used for creating the central ionized gas region inlieu of a microwave driven plasma torch. An ideal electron beam sourcefor the present invention is a non-vacuum electron beam welder.

The highly activated ionized gas center allows for complete dissociationof all matter entering into it. The molecules, atoms or radicals with amass low enough to enter into the central vacuum or “eye of the tornado”may be fully dissociated if a sufficient amount of energy is applied tothe Hyper Plasma Jet Vortex Mill Reactor. Likewise, large and more denseparticulate matter will be flung toward the outside of the vortex.

In kinetic energy comminutation devices, such as a jet mill or fluidenergy mill, a gas is used in combination with angular momentum todisintegrate particles into smaller particles. A jet mill uses storedpotential energy to create angular momentum. Potential energy is storedwithin a compressed gas such as compressed air or steam. However, thecompression stage occurs in a separate and distinct process/apparatussuch as a boiler or compressor. It is well known that air compression isan inefficient means for storing energy. The jet mill is utilized forparticle comminutation, disintegration or grinding.

Another device that takes advantage of angular momentum is a cycloneseparator. Both the jet mill and cyclone separator are utilized forcomminutation, drying and separating but not as a chemical reactor.

On the other hand, the present invention imparts angular momentum toparticles within the reactor by means of increasing the plasma volume.In comparison, this would be akin to increasing fuel flow into acombustion turbine or any internal combustion engine. However, incontrast, the present invention's energy source is stored andtransferred into the reactor via electrons and photons or quite simplywave energy. It is the wave energy that is the means for imparting asufficient amount of angular momentum to the reactor and not simply justthe gas flowing into the reactor.

In part, the novelty of the present invention leads to unexpectedresults due to the combined effects of a jet mill with that of a plasmatorch. It is unexpected that a plasma torch in combination with anotherplasma generation device, coupled to impart angular momentum in avessel, allows for a reduction in the flow rate of the jet fluid. Thisunexpected combination can be explained as follows:

-   -   1. An initial wave energy generating means provides wave energy        to the reactor.    -   2. At least one other wave energy generating means is used to        increase angular momentum within the reactor.    -   3. As the second wave energy generating means is energized the        ionized gases increase in temperature.    -   4. Due to the increase in temperature, the gases expand rapidly.    -   5. The increase in gas volume increases velocity.    -   6. Due to the design of the reactor, the plasma velocity is        transferred into angular momentum. Thus, angular momentum is        increased within the vessel by not having to increase gas        flowrate or solid flowrate to the reactor.        In essence, waste or fluid flowrate to the vessel can be stopped        or recycled using valves or any other suitable means and the        reactor can be operated similar to a giant light bulb or        continuous recycling reactor. This “giant light bulb” mode of        operation would be a closed loop operation.

Another unexpected result of the present invention is the ease ofcontrolling the reactor via electronics. This is contrasted to thedifficulties in controlling modern day jet mills, pyrolysis,gasification, reforming and cracking reactors, and cyclone separatorsvia fluid flow. The speed at which the present invention can becontrolled is the speed of wave energy. By utilizing solid-state powersupplies and microwaves the speed of electrons and the speed ofmicrowave photons (speed of light in an atmosphere) are used. Currentmodern day practices utilize valves that may be electronicallycontrolled and actuated, but the sealing or throttling device operatesmechanically. This will best be explained in a gas flaring example.

Flaring waste gases is common in many industries. Flares may operateintermediately, all the time, automatically or with operator assistance.However, the flare ignition device, normally a pilot light, may operatecontinuously. This is similar to the pilot light on a gas stove or oven.The pilot light stays on all the time. When the gas valve for a burneron the stove is turned to the low, medium or high position, gas flowsthrough the burners and is ignited by the pilot light.

In the present invention, as shown in FIG. 2, the MIDJet® (microwaveplasma torch) or the wave energy source, acts similar to a pilot light.The gas or fluid for the plasma torch can be steam, VOCs, CO₂, air,oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen or any other fluid capable of being ionizedand forming a plasma. If the wave energy source is an electron beam thena fluid is not necessary. Simply a stream of electrons acts as the pilotlight. In the event of a plant upset, when VOCs or any other fluid isflowed to the reactor, the RF field is energized or more energy isapplied to the RF Coil. The reactor can be designed to operate similarlyto an electric motor in which as the load or torque increases on themotor's shaft more electricity is flowed through the windings toincrease torque. It will be understood that many variations andautomated control schemes can be utilized to automate the reactor. Someof the parameters that can be monitored to automate the reactor aretemperature, flow-rate, valve position, amps, volts, etc.

Fire Tornado and Plasma Whirl

FIG. 3 hereof is a representation of a Plasma Whirl Reactor of thepresent invention. FIG. 3 illustrates the whirls that will be present insuch a reactor and helps one with understanding the advantages of thepresent invention's plasma whirl reactor over conventional plasmasystems. In comparison and contrast to a plasma whirl and to betterunderstand “whirl” flow, an explanation of fire whirls can be found inthe following publications from the U.S. Dept. of Commerce TechnologyAdministration, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST):

1. NISTIR 6341 “Simulating Fire Whirls”;

2. NISTIR 6427 “The Fluid Dynamics of Whirls—An Inviscid Model”; and

3. US Today Newspaper, Jun. 24, 2002 issue.

In order to demonstrate the wide variety of uses for the presentinvention, some of the figures hereof will be described in variouspreferred applications. For example, flares and solids found in the Oil& Gas Industry and biogas and MSW found at landfills. However, it willbe understood that the present invention can be applied to manydifferent applications in various industries. In addition, the presentinvention will be demonstrated in both cracking and reforming modes.Likewise, the present invention will be demonstrated in a carbonsequestration mode, which in turn allows for the production of arelatively clean hydrogen stream.

Flare

Turning again to FIG. 3 hereof and also to FIGS. 3A-3C there isillustrated a Plasma Whirl Reactor 100 that is comprised of a pilotplasma 101, the pilot plasma elongated, constricted and whirled 101Aalong the longitudinal axis and the plasma volume increased radially101B. A first wave energy source 102 generates the pilot plasma 101 andthe second plasma 101B is generated by a second wave energy generationmeans 105, such as a Radio Frequency (RF) induction coil.

A fluid B, such as flare gas, enters reactor 100 through inlet 103. Theflare gas or fluid B then flows through a serious of jets or slits 104which are coupled to the reactor in a way to impart angular momentum104A to pilot plasma 101. RF coils 105 may be energized before, duringor after the entry of the flare gas or fluid B into the reactor 100.

Next, several unsuspected but highly desirable results can occur. Forexample, angular momentum or the velocity of the whirl 104A is increaseddue to adding potential energy in the form of electromagnetic radiationenergy (photons or electrons) via the RF coils 105. Thus, fluid B flowdoes not need to be increased to increase angular momentum 104A as iscommon with jet energy mills. Also, the plasma volume increasesdramatically due to forming the second plasma 101B. However, the angularmomentum and/or whirl 104A effects the pilot plasma 101A by constrictingit radially while increasing its length along the longitudinal axis ofthe reactor 100. This sequence of events is demonstrated in FIGS. 3A, 3Band 3C hereof.

In FIG. 3A—in lieu of using slits or jets, a squirrel cage fan 104 isutilized for imparting angular momentum or whirl 104A to reactor 100.Squirrel cage fan 104 is fixed in place (does not rotate) by any knownattachment means, such as bolting, rivoting, welding, gluing, clamping,etc. Reactor 100 may be fabricated such that the squirrel cage fan 104is an integral part of reactor 100. This can be accomplished bymachining, or molding, squirrel cage fan 104 as a part of reactor 100.

Fluid B flows into inlet 103, which in this case is the annulus betweenthe reactor wall and a refractory/EMR permeable wall 100A. Squirrel cagefan 104 in the present invention operates opposite that of a typicalblower that incorporates a squirrel cage fan. The purpose of thesquirrel cage fan, jets, slits, nozzles or louvers 104 is to impartinitial angular momentum 104A within reaction chamber 100B.

In FIG. 3B—when the flare gas or fluid B flows through squirrel cage fan104 angular momentum 104A is created and imparts a desirable quality tothe pilot plasma 101. Due to the angular momentum and whirl 104A pilotplasma 101 is now stretched and constricted into an elongated whirlplasma 101A along the longitudinal axis of reactor 100.

In FIG. 3C, when RF coils 105 are energized the plasma volume increasesradially to form a very large plasma 101B. Once again the unexpected butextremely desirable quality of an increase in angular momentum isimparted to reactor 100. This additional attribute performs severalfunctions with unexpected results. Again referring to FIG. 3C a secondfluent material C enters the reactor via inlet 106. Due to angularmomentum and whirl 104A in combination with centrifugal force the fluentmaterial is comminuted by particle to particle collisions, heat and thehigh velocity plasma. In addition, the secondary large plasma 101Bprovides heat, wave energy, radicals and ions for chemically reactingreactants into products.

Not being bound by theory, it is also believed that the Plasma WhirlReactor of the present invention can be used to separate materials aswell as to increase residence time within the reactor 100 forparticulate matter. Dense particulate matter is separated from lessdense matter, such as light gases (hydrogen) due to angular momentum104A which forms centrifugal force within the reactor 100. The lessdense matter may be entrained within the elongated pilot plasma 101A.The dense matter is entrained within the peripheral of the large plasma101B. The reactor can be designed such that the all matter exiting thereactor must pass through the elongated pilot plasma 101A.

Another unexpected but desirable result occurs when outlet E and reactor100 are modified in size and shape to resemble a cone, cyclone separatoror jet mill. By referring to FIGS. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 6A, 7, and 7A thereactor may be constructed similar to a cyclone separator and/or a jetenergy mill. This attribute performs several functions with unexpectedresults.

It should be noted that the terms “matter” and “particulate matter” asused herein refers to particles, ions, atoms, molecules and elements insolid, liquid, gas or plasma states. Once again, not being bound bytheory, it is believed that more dense matter will remain in the outerportion of the whirl, while less dense matter will remain within thecentral vortex of the plasma whirl. Thus, matter of different densitiescan be separated from the main flow via the vortex by designing thereactor similar to a cyclone separator.

The plasma whirl reactor of the present invention can easily replace aflare to achieve zero emissions, discharges or releases. For example,during upsets in a refinery or petrochemical plant an operator may senda feedstock stream, such as methane to a flare. However, if the presentinventions plasma whirl reactor were in place, the operator would havean alternative to flaring and releasing emissions to the atmosphere.

The Plasma Whirl Reactor of the present invention can easily beconfigured for intermittent operations such as replacing a flare. First,pilot plasma source 102 can be an extremely low powered source. Oneexample is a 6 kW MIDJet®. Another example is a lower powerednon-transferred arc plasma cutting torch. The plasma carrier gas may beselected from steam, CO₂, air, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, VOCsor any other gas capable of being ionized. For the sake of simplicitysince many flares are steam assisted, then steam will be used in thefollowing example.

Cracking

The Plasma Whirl Reactor of the present invention may be operated in acracking mode, by increasing or turning on power to RF coils 105. Sincepilot plasma 101 is already formed, by energizing coils 105, this willform the large plasma volume 101B. As soon as the feedstock from theplant upset flows into inlet 103 and through jets 104, several processesoccur simultaneously. First, angular momentum increases. This forms theelongated pilot plasma 101A. Second, the hydrocarbon (HC) feedstock,such as methane or an ethane/propane mix, commonly used for ethyleneproduction, is cracked into hydrogen and carbon provided that thefeedstock flow B is far greater than the steam flow A into pilot plasmatorch 102 which produces the pilot plasma 101. It will be understoodthat pilot plasma 101 may utilize the HC as carrier gas A in lieu ofsteam.

It is believed that the cracked products, hydrogen and carbon can easilybe separated from each other, by designing the Plasma Whirl Reactorsimilar to that represented in FIG. 6A hereof. The lighter hydrogen willremain in the central vortex while the carbon will be forced to theoutside of the whirl. The hydrogen can exit the reactor via a top outletwhile the carbon exits via a bottom outlet. It will be understood that apilot electron beam can be used in lieu of the pilot plasma torch. Thus,this would eliminate carrier gas A.

Reforming

The Plasma Whirl Reactor of the present invention can be immediatelyswitched to a CO₂ reformer for the production of syngas. Referring backto FIG. 3 hereof, if the plant desires to produce syngas in lieu ofhydrogen and carbon, the operator can flow CO₂ into reactor 100 viainlet 103. It will be understood that the CO₂ can be premixed withfeedstock stream B, prior to entry into reactor 100. A plant that has alarge CO₂ point source emission such as an ethylene oxide plant canutilize the CO₂ in the present invention for production of syngas. Thesyngas can then be transferred via pipeline to a nearby refinery ofchemical plant for use as a chemical feedstock. The use of the presentinvention in this application eliminates the CO₂ emission at an ethyleneoxide plant.

If the Plasma Whirl Reactor is operated at a temperature greater than1000° C., the CO₂ reforming reaction is exothermic. Thus, any refineryor industry in dire need of hydrogen can utilize any HC stream toefficiently produce hydrogen with the present invention's Plasma WhirlReactor.

As previously stated, the Plasma Whirl Reactor of the present inventioncan be configured in accordance with FIGS. 1 through 7A hereof or in anymanner that will provide a source for an ionized gas that provides ameans for angular momentum. The product from the chemical reaction ofthe reactants in the Plasma Whirl Reactor of the present invention canbe further scrubbed or purified in accordance with FIG. 8 hereof

Referring to FIG. 8 hereof, the syngas produced from plasma whirlreactor 100 is conveyed into eductor 200 by means of suction provided bya quenching fluid that flows into a quench/scrubbing tower 300. Thequenching/scrubbing fluid may be selected from the group consisting ofwater, amines, emulsions, hydrocarbons, organic fluids, caustic soda,calcium oxide, red mud, and any fluid that will quench and scrub thesyngas. Pressurized fluid is provided to eductor 200 by means of a pumpor compressor 400 via pipe 401.

Upstream Petroleum Processes—Drill Cuttings, Flare, Diesel Exhaust andDegasser

The novelty, usefulness, and unobviousness of the present invention willbe demonstrated in another example. Drill cuttings are the soil that isremoved when a hole is bored into the ground during oil & gas welldrilling operations. Currently, the drill cuttings are separated fromthe drilling mud with a shale shaker or other means known in theindustry. Likewise, entrained gases within the drilling mud areseparated from the solution with a degasser. These, two emission sourcesmust be handled in a safe and environmentally sound manner. Most drillcuttings end up being pumped down an injection well. Gases from thedegasser are usually flared. Drilling rigs normally use diesel enginesand diesel generators. Diesel exhaust is another release that isregulated and must be dealt with. Another release, or waste, is thesludge produced from the Dissolved Air Floatation (OAF) unit. Currently,the solid wastes in particularly the drill cuttings are stored on therig in cutting boxes. Cutting boxes take up valuable space and are alsoan additional leased expense. The cuttings are conveyed to a supply boatfor transportation to a shore facility. At the dock, a crew will addwater to the cuttings in order to pump it out of the storage tank. Next,the crew washes out the tank. The drill cutting solution is taken to aninjection well facility for final disposal into a geological formation.

The present invention eliminates the problems associated with drillcuttings. The present invention provides a solution onsite at the shaleshaker. Thus, the present invention solves a current concern that wasaddressed at the Offshore Technology Conference held in Houston, Tex.during the week of April 30 to May 3, 2001.

The present invention solves both the flare and drill cutting problemscommon in modern day oil and gas drilling operations. FIG. 5 hereof is arepresentation of a Plasma Fluid energy Mill Reactor of the presentinvention. Reactor 100 is located near the shale shaker as shown in FIG.10 hereof in order for cuttings to be fed directly into hopper feedsystem 107 as shown in this FIG. 5. It will be understood that any typeof feed system can be used to convey the cuttings into the reactor 100.

Once again, the Plasma Whirl Reactor of the present invention may beoperated in an intermittent or continuous mode on a drilling rig.Referring to FIG. 5 hereof, pilot plasma 101A, or wave energy, isgenerated with plasma source 102 or electron beam. Any gas on thedrilling rig may be used as carrier gas A for plasma source 102. Steamproduced by recovering heat from the reactor 100 will be used as thecarrier gas A for the pilot plasma in the following example.

Referring to both FIGS. 5 and 10 hereof, diesel exhaust B from thediesel generators or diesel pumps is conveyed into reactor 100 andflowed into jets 104 which are fluidly coupled to inlet 103. RF coils105 are energized to increase the plasma volume, temperature and angularmomentum. At this point, diesel exhaust emissions B are also beingtreated for nitrogen oxide contaminants. It will be understood thatsteam or any other fluid may be flowed into inlet 103 in lieu of dieselor gas turbine exhaust.

When the degasser removes gases entrained within the drilling mud andcuttings without any operator input, the degasser gas C flows to inlet107 instead of to a flare. Inlet 107 may be a venturi jet nozzle. Asdrill cuttings 108 fill hopper 109, the cuttings 108 are removed fromthe hopper via a venturi eductor or inlet 106 that conveys the motivegas C and cuttings 108 into the reactor. Steam or an inert gas D may beused to provide a gas blanket on the drill cuttings within hopper 109.The hopper 109 is not necessary if another storage and conveyance meansare available on the oil rig.

Once again, the reactor can be operated in a cracking or reforming modebased on the nature of fluid B. It will be understood that reactor 100may be constructed in a flat pancake style fluid energy mill such asFIGS. 4 and 5 hereof, or shaped similar to a cyclone separator such asin FIGS. 6, 6A, 7, 7A and 8 hereof

The cuttings will be comminuted, dried and converted into fly ash uponentry into reactor 100. Organics, such as diesel, drilling fluids, etc.will be cracked or reformed to hydrogen, carbon monoxide, hydrogensulfide and nitrogen. Likewise, diesel exhaust may be reformed providedenough organics are present within reactor 100. The water vapor andcarbon dioxide present in the diesel exhaust will provide the source ofoxygen to form syngas. The syngas can then be used on the rig as a fuelor piped and sent to downstream production facilities. Thus, the presentinvention has provided a novel method for eliminating flares on drillingrigs while simultaneously converting drill cuttings to fly ash whilealso treating the rig's diesel exhaust emissions.

FIG. 6A hereof represents another mode of operation of the presentinvention that can be utilized to produce a substantially pure stream ofhydrogen using only one reactor. A carbon source is combined withcalcium oxide and fed into the reactor. The fluid entering into the jetnozzles that will provide the initial angular momentum is steam.Likewise, steam is used as the carrier gas for the pilot plasma torch.Process efficiency can be enhanced by slaking the lime with water thatis entrained within the drill cuttings. This will add energy in the formof heat to the reactor from the combination of Calcium Oxide with water.

Three processes are now synergistically combined within a single vesselof the present invention:

-   -   1. the reactor comminutes the carbon matter and calcium oxide;    -   2. the plasma dissociates and reforms the steam into hydrogen        and atomic oxygen;    -   3. the calcium oxide reacts with carbon and atomic oxygen to        form calcium carbonate;    -   4. the remaining calcium oxide reacts with other contaminants        such as sulfur and chlorine to form for example solid calcium        sulfate and calcium chloride respectively; and    -   5. the carbonate, sulfate and chloride solids exit through the        bottom outlet while the pure hydrogen exits through the top        outlet.

Onboard a drilling rig or land based drilling pad, the substantiallypure hydrogen can be used in a fuel cell to provide electricity to therig while obtaining zero emissions. This effectively eliminates dieselemissions. Likewise, if methane or any carbon source such as diesel orsolid waste is present onboard the rig a pure hydrogen stream can beproduced for use as fuel or a chemical feedstock. It will be understoodthat this invention can easily be practiced with coal or petroleum cokeas the source of carbon. The present invention can also use raw crudeoil for production of hydrogen.

Drill Cuttings located on the Ocean Floor below Rigs

The present invention can be operated in a vitrification mode fortreating drill cutting piles that are located below productionplatforms. Since the apparatus of the present invention is relativelysmall, it can easily be attached to a Remotely Operated UnderwaterVehicle (ROV). Electrical leads for operation of the EMR power suppliescan be tethered from the rig or a ship to the Plasma Whirl Reactor andROV. The Plasma Whirl Reactor can include a small boiler that willproduce steam by means of an electric heating element. The steam canthen be used for the microwave pilot plasma. Drill cuttings could beconveyed to the unit with an auger, dredge cutting head assembly orpump. The cuttings can be pumped into the reactor and allowed to meltand flow out of the reactor back into the seawater. Upon being quenched,the molten solution immediately vitrifies, thus encapsulating heavymetals.

Downstream Petroleum Processing—API Separator & DAF Sludge, Petcoke andSpent Acid

API Separators and Dissolved Air Floatation Units produce oily waste andsludges. By use of the present invention, it is not necessary to furthertreat the oily waste or sludge. The oily waste or sludge, can beconveyed into reactor 100 as shown in FIG. 5 hereof, via hopper 109. Inanother mode illustrated in FIG. 6A hereof, the oily waste can be thefluid for creating the initial cyclone. Or referring to FIG. 4 hereofand comparing it to FIG. 1 hereof, plasma torches are alignedtangentially to impart angular momentum within the reactor. The sludgeor oily waste can be fed into an inlet located on the side of thereactor as shown in FIG. 1 hereof in which the reactor is designed toalso perform as a cyclone separator. However, the sludge or oily wastemay be fed from the top as shown in FIG. 4 hereof. FIG. 4 hereof alsoshows an RF coil in the reactor wherein the tangentially aligned plasmatorches can be enhanced dramatically. It will be understood that the RFcoil can be located on the top and bottom or just on the top of thereactors shown in FIGS. 1, 2, 4, and 5 hereof. For simplicity purposes,a typical winding cylindrical shaped RF coil is illustrated in thepresent invention.

Oil Production and Oil Shale Upgrading

The processing and production of valuable fuels from oil shale has notbeen economical in most parts of the world. First, the oil shale must bemined. Next, it is crushed then fed to a pyrolysis unit in which thekerogen is released from the oil shale as shale oil. The shale oil isthen upgraded to useful hydrocarbon products.

A benefit and unexpected result of practice of the present invention isthat drill cuttings are finely comminuted and dried to a point whereinthe fly-ash type material can be mixed as an additive into the cementthat is used for cementing the well bore. Thus, most of the materialfrom the well bore can go back into the well bore as part of the cement.The remainder can be transported to shore as a useful product, simplydumped overboard or used for weighing down pipelines by cementing theoutside of the pipe.

The Plasma Comminution Reactor of the present invention solves many ofthe problems associated with mining and recovering valuable productsfrom oil shale. For example, the modular and mobile Plasma ComminutionReactor can be located at the mining site. The mined oil shale isconveyed directly to the Plasma Comminution Reactor which can beoperated to recover the oil from the shale, or simply to convert the oilto syngas. The solid waste produced from the reactor can b˜ placed backinto the mine. The syngas can be transported via pipeline to the enduser. However, it will be understood that the syngas can be used onsiteas a chemical feedstock or for the production of electricity.

Upgrading Crude at the Wellhead

A process that can economically upgrade crude oil at the wellhead wouldbe valuable as well. Maya crude, which is produced in Mexico, has arelatively high sulfur content. Consequently, many refineries cannotaccept the crude. Further, many refineries are not willing to undertakemajor capital improvements in order to process such a heavy sour crude.

In June of 2000, Pemex began conducting studies to lighten the grade ina bid to increase the number of refineries that can process Mexico'soil. The process under study involves subjecting the Maya crude—whichmakes up about half of Mexico's total oil reserves—to hydrogen at hightemperatures and pressure in the presence of a catalyst. The reactionsfrom this process help to eliminate sulfur and metals, lowers theoverall density and increases the yield of distillates. The resultingcrude is a grade somewhere between Mexico's extra light Olmeca and lightIsthmus grades—both of which garner higher prices in world crude oilmarkets.

While the initial findings from the study are positive on the processingside, researchers are still fighting to bring down the projects' coststo make widespread application financially viable. Pemex officials haveestimated that Mexico would need to fund three or four of theseconversion plants, each costing between $200 and $300 million and build,in order to transform the Maya crude now slated for export.

It is evident that a need exists for upgrading sour crudes, such as Mayacrude. A modular portable apparatus and process that can upgrade crudeat the wellhead would minimize capital improvements in refineries.However, the first step in upgrading crude oil at the wellhead is theproduction of hydrogen onsite.

Upgrading crude can also include simply increasing its API gravity thusenhancing transportation as well as downstream processing. The endproduct is usually referred to as syncrude. For example, Phillips,Texaco and PDVSA (Venezuelean Government Owned Petroleum Company) haveagreed to proceed with the Hamaca Project.

The Hamaca Project partners have committed to continue developing PhaseII of the Project, which is expected to produce and upgrade 190,000barrels per day of extra heavy crude from the Orinoco Belt, located inVenezuela. The Project contemplates the extraction of extra heavy crudeof 8.5° API in the Hamaca area, which will be transported by pipeline toan upgrading plant to be constructed in the Jose area, located innorthern Anzoategui. The crude will be processed using state-of-the-arttechnology into a high commercial value 26° API synthetic crude to beexported and sold on the international market.

Venezuela, The Orinoco Belt, Heavy Crude Oil

Venezuela is important to world energy markets because it holds provenoil reserves of 77 billion barrels, plus billions of barrels ofextra-heavy oil and bitumen. Venezuela consistently ranks as one the topsuppliers of U.S. oil imports and is among the top ten crude oilproducers in the world.

The present invention provides a novel apparatus and process forupgrading crude at the wellhead. Referring to FIG. 11 hereof, there isprovided a horse-head pumpjack 600 that pulls on a sucker rod 700 thatis attached to a bottom-hole oil pump (not shown). Oil from theoil-bearing formation enters into the suction side of the pump and isdischarged into tubing 800 that also encases sucker rod 700. However,during the pumping action gases trapped in the crude oil may be releasedinto annulus 900. The crude oil flows up tubing 800 while the gases mayflow up annulus 900. Due to piping and engineering designs the gas,which is more commonly called casing-head gas, can cause back-pressureon the well. The back-pressure can be compared to slowly closing a valveon a faucet. Simply, with a faucet the water flow decreases as the valveis closed. As back-pressure increases in the annulus the horseheadpumpjack must work harder to overcome the back-pressure. The casing headgas can be utilized as the carrier gas in the pilot plasma or to provideinitial angular momentum prior to energizing the RF coils to increaseplasma volume.

Landfills

The present invention can also find use in landfill applications.Currently, many landfills flare the biogas produced from the landfill.Biogas is comprised primarily of methane and carbon dioxide with traceamounts of hydrogen sulfide and hydrogen chloride. Biogas is usuallyflared because of its low energy value. The low energy value equates toa low market value. The present invention can upgrade biogas to syngaswhile simultaneously converting MSW to syngas and ash. This eliminatesthe need for increasing the size of the landfill. Likewise, currentlandfills can be remediated with the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 6A hereof, the biogas may be used as the fluid forproducing angular momentum with jet nozzles. Further, steam or biogasmay be used as the carrier gas in the pilot plasma torch. MSW isconveyed to the reactor with a system similar to 107 in FIG. 5 hereof.Any means for conveying that allows the control of the amount of airthat enters the reactor can be used. For example, in FIG. 5 hereof,inlet D is used to supply steam to hopper 109 to form a steam blanketfor reducing air intake into the reactor. Referring back to FIG. 6, RFcoils are energized to increase the plasma volume and increase angularmomentum. As a result, the MSW is comminuted, reformed and separatedfrom the syngas in a single vessel. The MSW ash exits the reactorthrough the bottom outlet while the syngas exits the reactor through thetop outlet. The syngas can be further purified with a scrubber. The ashmay contain very fine metals, glass, etc. which can be recycled or usedas backfill in the landfill.

Practice of the present invention eliminates disposal of MSW intolandfills. Further, the apparatus used in the practice of the presentinvention can be scaled down from a landfill size unit to commercial andresidential size units. This would reduce the amount of energy used forthe transportation of MSW to landfills. Also, household garbage could beconverted to syngas for use as a fuel at home in a small fuel cell orgas turbine engine, thus reducing electrical demand at homes.

An eductor (not shown) can be attached to the top outlet or bottomoutlet or both to perform several functions in the apparatus representedin FIG. 6A hereof. FIG. 7A hereof 15 shows such a system. An eductor isattached to the outlet of the reactor. It will be understood that theeductor maybe fabricated as an integral part of the reactor.

By attaching the eductor to the reactor several unexpected results canoccur. First, the pilot plasma can be further radially constricted andaxially lengthened to the point of reaching the eductor jets. Second,depending upon the type of eductor motive fluid used, reactions can bequenched immediately. Third, the eductor motive fluid and the eductorcan be used as a direct heat recovery method. Fourth, by selecting anideal eductor such as a Peri-Jet® Eductor manufactured by Derbyshire,Inc., the plasma can be entrained into the motive fluid. This opens thedoor for numerous applications. For example, the Plasma Whirl Reactor ofthe present invention can be used with substantially pure oxygen toproduce atomic oxygen. Drinking water or wastewater effluent that mustbe disinfected can be disinfected with the atomic oxygen. Next toflourine, atomic oxygen has the second highest oxidation potential.

Some unexpected results for this application can be summarized asfollows:

-   -   1. The central plasma vortex is constricted and lengthened due        to angular momentum provided by both the jets and RF coils.    -   2. The high plasma temperature at the core of the vortex keeps        the oxygen molecule dissociated into atomic oxygen.    -   3. By coupling the plasma with the eductor motive fluid the        atomic oxygen can enter the water as atomic oxygen for        disinfection purposes.

Ethylene Oxide Plant

Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 hereof, the present invention can bepracticed in one of its most preferred modes—simply as a CO₂ reformer inan ethylene oxide plant. The bottleneck in most ethylene oxide plants isthe production of CO₂. Some ethylene oxide plants may have trace amountsof ethylene oxide within the CO₂ released to the atmosphere. The presentinvention provides a solution for achieving substantially zeroemissions.

Scrubber 300 is filled with a suitable scrubbing solution selective toremove carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide or both. Non-limiting scrubbingsolutions that can be used herein include those based on an amine orethanol. CO₂ from the ethylene oxide plant is flowed into the reactorvia inlet 103. Methane, or any other hydrocarbon source, is flowed intothe reactor via A or 110 (shown in FIG. 3 hereof). The ethylene oxidecontaminant within the CO₂ is reformed in combination with the CH₄ andCO₂ to form hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The syngas is purified withthe scrubbing solution. Next, the purified syngas is piped to an enduser such as a refinery 301 and/or feed back into the system 302. Itwill be understood that the CO can be steam reformed to CO₂ and H₂. Itwill also be understood that any VOC streams that are flared within theplant can be used to replace the methane stream. Thus, this wouldeliminate and achieve zero discharge for both CO₂ and flares.

If the EO plant desires to produce a substantially pure hydrogen streamwhile simultaneously capturing the carbon, the present invention can beoperated in a carbon sequestration mode. This can be accomplished by theaddition of red mud, or a source of calcium oxide or magnesium oxide.

Spent Caustic Wastes

Many petroleum refineries use a water solution of sodium hydroxide(caustic soda) to treat light products such as gasoline. In its basicform, caustic treating of gasoline involves washing the gasoline with asolution of caustic, followed by a water wash of the gasoline to removeany residual caustic from the gasoline product. Caustic treatingneutralizes and removes acidic compounds contained in the gasoline, suchas phenols (crysilic acids), hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen cyanide, carbondioxide and mercaptans. A number of variations of the basic caustictreating process and various treating technologies are available.Depending on the refinery configuration and the processes used, theproduction of spent caustic can be in the range of 3 gallons to 70gallons of spent caustic per barrel of crude oil processed, and can beproduced on a semibatch or continuous basis.

Spent caustic from gasoline treating contains the sodium salts ofvarious acids, soluble gasoline components, dimers of mercaptans(disulfides) and unreacted caustic. Although refinery spent causticusually is not considered a RCRA hazardous waste, it is corrosive andcan generate explosive vapors. If acidified, toxic gases such ashydrogen cyanide and hydrogen sulfide can be generated.

In ethylene plants, acid gases (CO₂ and H₂S) are treated in an absorberusing a mild caustic solution. The spent caustic becomes saturated withan array of hydrocarbon components including heat sensitive polymerprecursors and monomers such as carbonyls, dienes, and styrenics. Thepresence of organics in the spent caustic acts as a poison toappreciably retard the preferred oxidation chemistry in downstream wetair oxidation (WAO) reactors, and would also cause polymer formation andfouling of the reactors. These organics also make the solutionenvironmentally hazardous and thus limits its use for integration withthe pulp and paper industry or other metal treatment processes.Therefore, it is essential to free the spent caustic from dissolvedpolymer precursors and their monomers prior to WAO or if the spentcaustic is to be used for alkali content.

Aluminum, Red Mud, TiO₂ and Carbon Sequestration

Referring again to FIG. 6A hereof, a hydrocarbon source, such as flaregas, is used as the fluid for producing angular momentum with jetnozzles. Steam may be used as the carrier gas in the pilot plasma torch.Red Mud is conveyed to the reactor with a system similar to 107 in FIG.5 hereof. Any means of conveying that allows for control of the amountof air that enters the reactor can be used. For example, in FIG. 5,inlet D is used to supply steam to hopper 109 to form a steam blanketfor reducing air intake into the reactor. Returning to FIG. 6 hereof, RFcoils are energized to increase the plasma volume and increase angularmomentum. As a result, the Red Mud is comminuted while simultaneouslyallowing the calcium oxide and magnesium oxide within the red mud tocapture carbon dioxide formed during the cracking, reforming andwater-gas shift reactions.

The Red Mud byproduct exits the reactor through the bottom outlet whilethe hydrogen exits the reactor through the top outlet. The hydrogenstream can be further purified with a scrubber. The Red Mud byproductcan now be used for absorbing liquid wastes such as oil spills. Notwishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the Red Mud can beutilized in situ in the present invention to enhance hydrocarbonsynthesis. For example, Red Mud contains metals, which are used inpresent day catalysts for Olefins production.

Conventional fluidized bed process units for olefin production are suchthat the solids residence time and the vapor residence time cannot beindependently controlled, especially at relatively short vapor residencetimes. For the production of olefins it is preferred that the vaporremain in the reactor for less than a second while the catalyst remainsin the reactor for a longer period of time. Typically, the catalyst mayremain in the reactor from 15 to 60 seconds.

The present invention's reactor as shown in FIG. 4, 5, or 6 hereof maybe well suited for carrying out the aforementioned production ofolefins. Not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that olefinproduction can be enhanced in the following manner:

-   -   1. Use the olefin feedstock to generate Plasma Whirl;    -   2. Plasma Whirl produces angular momentum;    -   3. Red Mud is conveyed to the reactor to be comminuted and        separated in the plasma whirl due to centrifugal force;    -   4. Red Mud remains in the reactor longer due to centrifugal        force;    -   5. Red Mud and Olefins exit the center of the reactor; and    -   6. The materials are flowed such that olefins production is        maximized while methane production is minimized.

Also, in another mode, Red Mud can be used in the present invention forthe production of substantially pure hydrogen. It is well known that theproduction of aluminum is energy intensive. Aluminum smelters require alow DC voltage. The present invention allows for an alumina or aluminumplant to become a so-called “Over-The-Fence” hydrogen producer. Thepresent invention can be mobilized onsite at the alumina plant or at themost economical site with respect to the source of the organic orhydrogen containing material. For example, the apparatus of the presentinvention can be located near a petroleum refinery. The refineryprovides coke as the carbon source for the apparatus. The coke and RedMud are flowed into the reactor. The final products are treated Red Mudand hydrogen.

An aluminum plant may opt to install the apparatus of the presentinvention onsite or near a coal burning power plant. A relatively cheapsource of carbon, such as coal fines, produced from coal burning powerplants may be used as the carbon source. However, aluminum plantslocated in a forested region, such as the U.S. Pacific Northwest, mayopt to use a virgin product such as wood chips as the carbon source. Ifinstalled onsite at an aluminum facility, the apparatus allows for theideal production of aluminum with respect to energy conservation andenvironmental emissions. In lieu of burning the hydrogen as fuel in aboiler or gas turbine engine, it would be highly advantageous to use thehydrogen in a fuel cell. Since fuel cells produce a low voltage DCsource of electricity and aluminum smelters utilize 5 volts DC, thenthis application of the present invention allows for an ideal use.

Additionally, the Red Mud may be slurried with waste oil or a crude oilwith a low API gravity and flowed into the Plasma Whirl Reactor of thepresent invention. The Red Mud byproduct can then be used for mopping upoil spills and subsequently allowing for recovering the energy value ofthe oil by processing the oil absorbed in the Red Mud in the apparatusof the present invention. It has been demonstrated that in combinationwith the present invention, Red Mud can become a valuable commodity foran aluminum plant and may no longer be viewed as a waste disposalproblem.

Not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that the TiO₂ in theRed Mud treated by the present invention, may be separated from the ironand alumina and recovered from the Red Mud. This further enhances thevalue of the Red Mud when processed through the present invention'sapparatus or method.

Refinery Spent Acid Regeneration and Claus Plant

The present invention can also be applied as a spent acid regenerationplant in a refinery. As previously mentioned, the bottleneck in most SARplants is the volume of gas produced due to combusting the spent acidwith a fuel and oxidant. The present invention provides a solution forthe problems inherent in modern day SAR plants. In FIG. 2 hereof, spentacid can be pressurized and used as the fluid for providing angularmomentum to the reactor. The jet nozzle ring is designed such thatpressurized spent acid fluid is atomized after exiting the nozzles andupon entry into the reactor. In this mode, a waste inlet may not beneeded since the pressurized spent acid fluid is the waste.

Referring to FIGS. 3, 3A, 3B and 3C hereof, pilot plasma gas A isconveyed to the pilot plasma torch 102 to create pilot plasma 101. Thepilot plasma gas A may be selected from SO₂, H₂S, steam, O₂, CO₂ or anygas commonly found in a refinery. The most preferred gas is one with alow ionization potential and which does not add an unwanted gas and anincreased gas volume to the SAR plant.

Spent acid B is pressurized and conveyed into the reactor via inlet 103.The spent acid is atomized upon exiting the nozzles or slits 104. Thiscreates angular momentum within the reactor. Once again, the pilotplasma 101 is elongated and constricted along the longitudinal axis toform the elongated pilot plasma 101A. Upon energizing the RF coils 105,the plasma volume increases dramatically, which further increasesangular momentum. The large plasma 101B is created with the atomizedspent acid. Thus, the spent acid B must transition through the largeplasma 101B and the elongated plasma 101A in order to exit the reactor.

Referring again to FIG. 6A hereof, the reactor can be configured toremove any solids or ash present in the spent acid. Once again, thespent acid fluid enters the reactor via jet nozzles that aretangentially aligned to impart angular momentum to the reactor (similarto plasma torches shown in FIG. 1 hereof). Upon exiting the jet nozzles,the spent acid fluid is atomized, entrained and converted into a plasmavia wave energy provided by the RF coil. The solids exit the bottomoutlet while gases exit the top outlet. It will be understood that acyclone separator constructed of a refractory material transparent to RFenergy may be used in the present invention.

In another embodiment of the present invention, the reactor can beconfigured in accordance with FIG. 7A hereof and adapted to a scrubberor absorption tower 300 as shown in FIG. 8 hereof. For example, thetower or scrubber 300 may be filled with a solution selective to modernday SAR plants for dehydrating a SO₂ stream.

In another preferred embodiment, the plasma whirl reactor opens the doorfor integrating an H₂S stream into a SAR plant. The SAR plant and Clausplant are separate operating units in a refinery. However, the reactionsand products of the two plants can easily be integrated into one unit.

The decomposition reaction for combustion of H₂SO₄ is:

H₂SO₄+heat→SO₂+H₂O+O.

The partial oxidation reaction for H₂S in a Claus plant is:

H₂S+[O]→H₂O+S.

Not wishing to be bound by theory, it is believed that feeding H₂Sstoichiometrically with spent sulfuric acid in the Plasma Whirl Reactorof the present invention can produce the following reaction andproducts:

H₂SO₄+H₂S+wave energy (heat)→SO₂+2H₂O+S(s).

Since the H₂SO₄ provides the oxygen for partial oxidation of H₂S towater and sulfur, either reactant can be controlled to optimize plantconditions. Also, this novel application of the Plasma Whirl Reactorsubstantially reduces the size of the spent acid regeneration plant aswell as the Claus plant.

For example, by utilizing the plasma cyclone separator reactor, it isbelieved that the sulfur can be separated from the SO₂ and H₂O in situ.It will be understood that the organics in the spent acid may beconverted to carbon and hydrogen or react with the H₂O to form syngas.Since hydrogen and carbon monoxide or both powerful reducing agents,then both may want to react with the SO₂ to shift back to H₂S and O₂ orH₂S and CO₂. By adding a stoichiometric amount of O₂ to further reactwith the syngas the reaction can be driven to near completion.

In addition, a sufficient amount of O₂ may be added to the reactor inorder to oxidize the solid sulfur, in order to maximize SO₂ productionwhile minimizing solid sulfur production. Or the H₂S may be fed to theplasma whirl reactor at a rate less than H₂SO₄ feed. As a result theoxygen will react with hydrogen and carbon monoxide to form H20 and CO₂.Next, the SO₂ rich stream may be scrubbed to remove water and to coolthe stream to an ideal temperature for conversion to SO₃ in thedownstream converter. However, it will be understood that a heatrecovery unit may be installed upstream of the scrubber in order torecover the heat value of the stream. After dehydration of the S O₂ richstream, air or oxygen may be added in order to oxidize SO₂ to SO₃ in theconverter. It will be understood that dilution air may be added beforethe dehydration process. The purpose of adding air after or duringcooling is to avoid the production of nitrogen oxides.

The present invention can also be used to recover spent catalysts, suchas Group VIII/Group VI hydrotreating catalysts from petroleum andpetrochemical streams.

The present invention can also be used in Spent Acid Regeneration whichovercomes the obstacles in modern day SAR combustion furnaces. Quitesimply the energy is added in the form of wave energy vice in the formof a fuel and oxidant. Additionally, since air is not added in theplasma whirl reactor, an unsuspected result occurs. NOx is not produced,thus this eliminates the environmental problems associated with NOxproduction due to high temperatures associated with current refineryClaus and SAR plants operations.

Agriculture and Forestry Wastes—Bagasse, Rice Straw, Poultry Litter,Wood Chips and Black Liquor

A primary problem associated with burning agriculture and forestrywastes in boilers is the moisture content of the waste. Another problemassociated with burning agriculture wastes is the composition of thewaste. Agriculture and forestry waste that present special problems arebagasse from sugarcane mills, rice straw, rice hulls, animal litter andblack liquor from pulp and paper mills.

Forest—Pulp and Paper—Wood Chips and Black Liquor

Pulp and paper production is among the most energy intensive segments ofall manufacturing industries. Combustion of kraft black liquors isprimarily done to recover chemicals for cooking. Without chemicalsrecovery, the process would be uneconomical. However, in recent years,the efficiency of black liquor combustion has been improved so that nowmills are more nearly energy self-sufficient. Black liquor combustion iscombined with the combustion of bark and other wood fuels.

The black liquid recovery boiler presents problems of operation andsafety that far exceed those of the conventional power boiler. InJanuary 1962, the Black Liquid Recovery Boiler Advisory Committee(BLRBAC) was formed by representatives of the pulp and paper industry,manufactures of black liquid recovery boilers and insurance companiesproviding coverage on black liquor recovery boilers. The BLRBACperiodically updates a report titled “Safe Firing of Black Liquor inBlack Liquor Recovery Boilers.” The last update was March 2001. On page65 of the report, the BLRBAC strongly recommends that water solutions(i.e. black liquor soap) should never be injected directly into a kraftrecovery furnace.

In 1997 the BLRBAC established the Waste Streams Subcommittee toevaluate the experience with thermal oxidation of liquid and gaseouswaste streams in the recovery furnace, and if the experience supporteddeveloping recommended BLRBAC guidelines for using the recovery boileras an emissions control device. The outcome of the subcommittee wasanother excellent advisory published by the BLRBAC on Oct. 6, 1999titled, “Recommended Good Practice For The Thermal Oxidation of WasteStreams In A Black Liquor Recovery Boiler.”

In part the Thermal Oxidation of Waste Streams advisory stated, “Themajor waste stream is non-condensible gases (NCG), which are gases thatcontain reduced sulfur compounds from the digester and evaporatoroperations and are also a source of odor. The principal process benefitto thermally oxidizing waste streams in the recovery furnace is that thesulfur content of the streams can be retained within the process ratherthan be discharged to the surroundings . . . . The largest volume wastestream available for disposal is the collected Dilute Noncondensible Gas(DNCG) streams from various sources in the kraft mill.”

On page 3, BLRBAC stated, “The burning of dilute and/or concentratednoncondensible gases or other waste streams in the kraft black liquorrecovery boiler adds complexity and potential hazards to the operation.Recognizing this, BLRBAC does not encourage the practice. However, ifnoncondensible gases or any waste stream are burned in the recoveryboiler, this recommended good practice should be followed to assist inminimizing the potential for accidents.”

Deadly gas explosions are the greatest hazard in operating kraftrecovery furnaces. Likewise, the most prevalent cause of explosions whenutilizing the furnace for thermal oxidation of NCG is the presence ofterpenes (turpentine vapor). Static electricity or an electrical sparkor reaching the auto-ignition temperature of 487° F. of the pinene canlead to an explosion. The upper and lower explosion limits forturpentine vapor are not very well defined, but the explosion range isknown to be very wide.

The SO₂ produced in a recovery boiler during the thermal oxidation ofblack liquor is scrubbed by the alkali fume present in the upper furnaceto form sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄). Simply, the feed streams to the furnacealso act as scrubbing chemicals. The limiting factor for SO₂ scrubbingis the amount of alkali hydroxides, sodium and potassium, that arepresent in the furnace. The report stated, “In general, furnaces thatburn hotter (those with higher black liquor solids) will volatilize moresodium and in turn have a higher sulfur capture efficiency . . . . Thehigh sulfur capture efficiency is one of the factors that makeincineration of NCG in the recovery furnace an attractive alternative.”

Although there are many reactions that occur in the recovery boiler, theprimary goal is to maximize smelt production for transforming the smeltinto green liquor and then into white liquor. Thus, the pulp and papermill's caustic area has a main objective of converting sodium carbonate(Na₂SO₃) to sodium hydroxide by slaking calcium oxide (CaO) to formcalcium hydroxide (CaOH). The CaOH is then reacted with the Na₂SO₃ toform sodium hydroxide (NaOH). The calcium carbonate (CaCO₃) also knownas lime mud is converted to CaO and CO₂ in a rotary kiln. This last stepis known as calcination.

Referring again to FIG. 1 hereof, black liquor can be injected into theinlet and converted to smelt. The plasma torches that are alignedtangentially utilize CO₂, steam, turpine vapors or noncondesible gasesas the carrier gas. Although not shown the smelt exits the bottom whilegases exit the top outlet.

Referring again to FIG. 6A hereof, black liquor is injected into thereactor via jet nozzles that are aligned tangentially to create avortex. Wood chips or any other wastes are conveyed and injected intothe reactor through a secondary inlet. Once again gases exit the topoutlet while solids such as smelt exit the bottom outlet.

The present invention also gives rise to a novel hydrogen productionfacility at a pulp and paper mill. Not wishing to be bound by theory, itis believed that the addition of CaO to the reactor will produce CaCO₃and H₂. The CO₂ that reacts with the CaO is the product of reactingcarbon and oxygen which are part of the black liquor. Additional steammay be added to the reactor to increase H₂ production. The sodium andsulfide may be recovered directly as caustic soda and sodium sulfidefrom the bottom of the reactor.

However, a pulp and paper mill can save on lime costs by simply usingred mud. The process for producing hydrogen from red mud has beenpreviously explained. Simply, the black liquor provides the source ofcarbon necessary in the reaction. A benefit to this process is that themill may produce TiO₂ that is suitable for use in paper products. Thus,the mill saves on the cost of purchasing both lime and TiO₂.

Sugar Mill Bagasse

Two major problems are associated with burning bagasse in boilers.First, the bagasse contains 50% moisture. Thus, boilers must be sizedaccordingly in order to handle the additional the additional flue gasesproduced due to the moisture (steam). This results in a very largeboiler. Likewise, bagasse is not finely ground in modern day mills. As aresult, it is common to find large clinker production in modern daysugarcane mill boilers. Also, mills produce a very large volume ofbagasse. Typically, a 10,000 ton day cane mill will produce about 1,500tons per day of bagasse. Thus, the boiler is operated as an incineratorin order to eliminate the bagasse and prevent stockpiling of the canestalk residue.

Rice harvesting and milling produces two products that present problems.Rice straw is difficult to feed to a boiler. Rice hulls have a highsilica content that also results in clinker formation.

Animal litter presents a problem unique to operating conditions. First,Animal Feed Operations (AFOs) range from very small operators (300 headof cattle or less) to operations that may have greater than 10,000animals in a confined feeding location. Likewise, AFOs range frompoultry feed houses to very large commercial dairy operations. Thus, theamount of litter or manure produced at each facility variesdramatically.

The present invention's modular plasma whirl reactor allows for scalingup and down quite easily. Thus, the various solid, liquid and gaseouswastes and volumes produced at sugar mills, poultry houses, rice mills,rice farms, or at pulp and paper mills can be converted to syngaswithout the need for pretreating the wastes by utilizing the presentinvention's plasma whirl reactor.

Referring again to FIG. 5 hereof, wet bagasse or any of theaforementioned agriculture and forestry wastes, can be fed into theinlet. The moisture in the bagasse is utilized to react with the carbonin the bagasse fiber to form syngas. Pretreatment methods such as dryingor grinding are not necessary or required in the present invention. Inaddition, there are several benefits derived from operating the plasmawhirl reactor as a bagasse gasifier. First, the syngas produced from theplasma whirl reactor can be used a fuel for a very small package boileror gas turbine engine in lieu of a large boiler. Second, the finelycomminuted fly ash produced in the plasma whirl reactor can be utilizedas a cement additive.

Another unsuspected but highly desirable result is achieved with theplasma whirl reactor of the present invention. It is well known thatmany jet mills have a difficult time processing non-friable material.Friable simply means a material that can be crushed into a powder. Forexample, wet bagasse is not a friable material. However, when processedin the Plasma Whirl Reactor, as the bagasse is converted to char orcharcoal, a friable material, the bagasse ash is then finely comminutedto a fly ash powder. Thus, the problem of producing large clinker fromburning bagasse in typical boilers does not occur in the plasma whirlreactor.

Cement Plant

Based upon this unsuspected result, the plasma whirl reactor may be anideal solution for replacing long rotary kilns used in the production ofcement. In lieu of a rotating kiln and pug mill, the material is simplyadded to the plasma whirl reactor to form powered clinker (cement).Thus, the process eliminates the long rotating kiln and the pug millthat crushes the clinker.

The present invention has disclosed a novel plasma whirl comminutionreactor and method, which can comminute, separate, react, sequester andquench in one vessel. The foregoing description of the preferred andvarious alternative embodiments and variation in the apparatus of theinvention, and the foregoing description of a variety of processes forwhich the invention may be advantageously employed, is intended to beillustrative and not limiting. It is to be understood that the apparatusof the invention is susceptible to other alternative embodiments andvariations, and that thy invention may be applied to various processobjectives in addition to those specifically described, all within thescope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus for producing a clinker for cementfrom a material comprising: a vessel having an interior defined by acylindrical portion disposed proximate to a first end and a cone shapedportion disposed proximate to said cylindrical portion that forms afirst outlet at a second end that is aligned with a longitudinal axis ofsaid cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion, one or moreinlets in said first end to receive said material, and a second outletat said first end that is aligned with said longitudinal axis of saidcylindrical portion; a first plasma source comprising a plasma torchconnected to said first end and aligned with said longitudinal axis ofsaid cylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion to introduce aplasma into said interior; a second plasma source comprising a set ofradio frequency coils disposed around or within said cylindrical portionto add energy to said plasma; and two or more jets or slits within saidcylindrical portion to direct a fluid or a gas into said interior tocreate angular momentum in said plasma to form a plasma vortex thatcirculates around said longitudinal axis and reacts with said materialto produce said clinker for cement that exits through said first outletin said second end.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising atube disposed between said first end and said plasma torch, said tubehaving two or more inlets or slits within said tube to direct a carriergas into said tube to create angular momentum in said plasma before saidplasma enters said interior of said vessel.
 3. The apparatus of claim 1,further comprising a second plasma torch disposed within said outlet atsaid second end and aligned with said longitudinal axis of saidcylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion to introduce a secondplasma into said interior of said vessel.
 4. The apparatus of claim 1further comprising an eductor with a longitudinal axis, connected tosaid vessel at said second end around said outlet opening with saidlongitudinal axis of said eductor in coaxial alignment with saidlongitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shapedportion of said vessel.
 5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein saidcarbon-based material is fed into said inlet using a conveyor, a hopper,a gravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or a combination thereof.
 6. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein each plasma source comprises an AC plasmatorch, DC plasma torch, a microwave plasma torch, an inductively coupledplasma torch or a combination thereof.
 7. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein said plasma vortex circulates around a central void.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein each plasma source comprises a plasma jetnozzle fed by a fluid.
 9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein said fluidcomprises water, steam, carbon dioxide, air, oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen,helium, volatile organic carbon, an ionizable fluid, an ionizable gas ora combination thereof.
 10. An apparatus for producing a clinker forcement from a material comprising: a vessel having a verticallongitudinal axis, a cylindrical middle portion aligned with saidvertical longitudinal axis, a top portion, a bottom portion, one or moreinlets disposed in said top portion to receive a material, a top outletaligned with said vertical longitudinal axis and disposed in said topportion, and a bottom outlet aligned with said vertical longitudinalaxis and disposed in said bottom portion; two or more plasma torchesmounted tangentially in said cylindrical middle portion such that saidplasma torches are substantially aligned with one another in ahorizontal plane with respect to said vertical longitudinal axis; andwherein said plasma from said plasma torches combine together to createsufficient angular momentum to form a plasma vortex that circulatesaround said vertical longitudinal axis within said vessel and reactswith said material to produce said clinker for cement that exits throughsaid bottom outlet.
 11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said materialis fed into said one or more inlets using a conveyor, a hopper, agravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or a combination thereof.
 12. Theapparatus of claim 10, wherein each plasma torch comprises an AC plasmatorch, DC plasma torch, a microwave plasma torch, an inductively coupledplasma torch or a combination thereof.
 13. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein: said bottom portion is cone shaped or substantially flat; orsaid vessel is pancake-shaped, cylindrically-shaped or shaped like acyclone separator.
 14. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising aset of radio frequency generating coils disposed around an exterior ofsaid circular middle portion, or said circular middle portion and atleast a portion of said bottom portion.
 15. The apparatus of claim 10,wherein said plasma vortex circulates around a central void.
 16. Theapparatus of claim 10, further comprising another plasma source disposedwithin said outlet and aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis. 17.The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an eductor attached tosaid bottom outlet and aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis. 18.The apparatus of claim 10, wherein said two or more plasma torchescomprise a first set of plasma torches and said horizontal plane is afirst horizontal plane, and further comprising a second set of two ormore plasma torches mounted tangentially in said cylindrical middleportion either above or below said first set of plasma torches such thatsaid second set of plasma torches are substantially aligned with oneanother in a second horizontal plane with respect to said verticallongitudinal axis, and wherein said second set of plasma torches are fedby said fluid or gas, atomize said fluid or gas and direct said atomizedfluid or gas into said interior of said vessel.
 19. An apparatus forproducing a clinker for cement from a material comprising: a vesselhaving a vertical longitudinal axis, a cylindrical middle portionaligned with said vertical longitudinal axis, a top portion, a bottomportion, one or more inlets disposed in said top portion to receive amaterial, a top outlet aligned with said vertical longitudinal axis anddisposed in said top portion, and a bottom outlet aligned with saidvertical longitudinal axis and disposed in said bottom portion; two ormore jet nozzles mounted tangentially in said cylindrical middle portionsuch that said jet nozzles are substantially aligned with one another ina horizontal plane with respect to said vertical longitudinal axis,wherein said jet nozzles are fed by a fluid or gas, atomize said fluidor gas and direct said atomized fluid or gas into an interior of saidvessel; a radio frequency source proximate to said plasma jet nozzles togenerate a plasma from said atomized fluid or gas within said vessel;and wherein said plasma from said atomized fluid or gas from said jetnozzles combines together to create sufficient angular momentum to forma plasma vortex that circulates around said vertical longitudinal axiswithin said vessel and reacts with said material to produce said clinkerfor cement that exits through said bottom outlet.
 20. The apparatus ofclaim 19, wherein said material is fed into said one or more inletsusing a conveyor, a hopper, a gravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or acombination thereof.
 21. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said plasmavortex circulates around a central void.
 22. The apparatus of claim 19,wherein said fluid or gas comprises water, steam, carbon dioxide, air,oxygen, nitrogen, hydrogen, helium, volatile organic carbon, anionizable fluid, an ionizable gas or a combination thereof.
 23. Theapparatus of claim 19, wherein said radio frequency source comprises aset of radio frequency generating coils disposed around an exterior ofsaid circular middle portion, or said circular middle portion and atleast a portion of said bottom portion.
 24. The apparatus of claim 19,wherein the radio frequency source comprises a microwave plasma torch.25. The apparatus of claim 19, wherein said two or more jet nozzlescomprise a first set of jet nozzles and said horizontal plane is a firsthorizontal plane, and further comprising a second set of two or morenozzles mounted tangentially in said cylindrical middle portion eitherabove or below said first set of jet nozzles such that said second setof jet nozzles are substantially aligned with one another in a secondhorizontal plane with respect to said vertical longitudinal axis, andwherein said second set of jet nozzles are fed by said fluid or gas,atomize said fluid or gas and direct said atomized fluid or gas intosaid interior of said vessel.
 26. An apparatus for producing a clinkerfor cement from a material comprising: a vessel having an interiordefined by a cylindrical portion disposed proximate to a first end and acone shaped portion disposed proximate to said cylindrical portion thatforms a second outlet at a second end that is aligned with saidlongitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shapedportion, a first outlet in said first end that is aligned with alongitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said cone shapedportion, and at least one inlet in said first end to receive a material;a set of radio frequency coils disposed around or within saidcylindrical portion and said cone shaped portion to generate a plasmafrom an atomized fluid or gas within said interior; and two or more jetsor slits mounted tangentially in said cylindrical portion to atomize afluid or gas and direct said atomized fluid or a gas into said interiorto feed said plasma and create angular momentum in said plasma to form aplasma vortex that circulates around said longitudinal axis and reactswith said material to produce said clinker for cement that exits throughsaid second outlet in said second end.
 27. The apparatus of claim 26,wherein said material is fed into said inlet using a conveyor, a hopper,a gravity feed, a fluid, a gas, steam or a combination thereof.
 28. Theapparatus of claim 26, wherein said plasma vortex circulates around acentral void.
 29. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising a plasmatorch disposed within said second outlet at said second end and alignedwith said longitudinal axis of said cylindrical portion and said coneshaped portion to introduce a second plasma into said interior of saidvessel.
 30. The apparatus of claim 26, further comprising an eductorattached to said outlet and aligned with said longitudinal axis.